That's So You
by missalex3030
Summary: "Please, don't!"..."You don't know how much I- I need you! Please, don't go!"..."You're no monster! You're so wonderful! Please!" Maddi heard her screams like a broken record, playing the same pleas over and over again. Her begging woke her from her slumber each night since then, but it did not matter. Her cries for him did not bring him back to her.
1. Chapter 1

****Here it is! My newest story! I hope you guys like it! Review please!****

**That's So You**

one

It was a beautiful late summer day. The golden sun burned brightly in the pale blue sky. Birds were singing loudly, bumble bees were buzzing dutifully and the neighbor children were screaming and shrieking with high-pitched laughter as they chased each other around their massive backyards. All was well on Cambridge Road Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. On the outside, anyway.

Maddison stood between her mother and sister, all identically cloaked in black. Their hoods were drawn, their heads were bowed, and their eyes were trained on the sparkling polished floor. They were not the only cloaked figures in the room. Maddison tried to be subtle as she counted them: 23… 25 if you included herself and her brother, but she did not wish to.

Gregory, one year her senior, had only graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry a mere two months ago. His eighteenth birthday had only been three days ago, and he had this dreadful fate thrust upon him, as had their sister. Adrianna, however, was different than Gregory. When it was her turn two summers ago, she had embraced her fate. She did not fight; she would not have won. She did not cry; her tears would have been ignored. She did not beg for mercy; it would not have been granted. Adrianna was not pleased with the circumstances, but what could she have done? What could any of them do?

In the dimly lit study of their home, the women of the family stood furthest from the fireplace facing the flickering flames. A shiver crept up Maddison's spine, but it was not due to the coldness of the room. Her father, a man whose presence commanded the attention of an entire room, broke from the hooded crowd and strode into the center of the room. He turned in a slow circle, eyeing the audience from beneath his hood, and stopped once he found his target. He held out it arm, calling for the figure nearest the flames, and he joined him obediently in the center of the room. Maddison's father lowered his hood, revealing his graying black hair and ebony eyes. He sneered, an air of pride evident on his handsome face, as he gazed at the crowd.

"Tonight," her father began, "will be a most important night."

Maddison listened along with others to her father's booming voice.

"Tonight, my son will be honored," he continued. "Tonight, my son will be one of us."

Some in the crowd cheered loudly, whistling and clapping. Maddison remained still and silent, much like her mother and sister beside her. She felt her knees knocking together beneath her cloak and she only hoped her fear was as concealed as her body.

"Tonight, my comrades, my son will be named a faithful servant to the greatest wizard of all time," her father went on. "Tonight, he will be marked!"

Cheers erupted again and lone tear slipped down Maddison's cheek as she kept her head bowed to the floor. The room fell silent, not a single breath could be heard, as the study door swung open tauntingly slowly. It closed without a sound, and a hooded figure even more commanding than her father swept into the room. Maddison followed the lead of every other person in the room and bent her entire upper body as he passed. From beneath her long lashes, she could see her father and brother doing the same in the center of the study.

"You may rise," his low voice allowed, and the crowd compliantly stood erect.

"Mr. Turner," the man hissed. "Is the boy ready?"

"My Lord, he is ready- eager, My Lord," Mr. Turner bowed again as he held his arm out in presentation.

"Has he been adequately…prepared?" the man wondered as he stepped closer to the hooded figure.

"I assure you, My Lord, I have trained him well," Mr. Turner.

"Better than your first-born, I hope," the man hissed again.

Maddison could feel the humiliation radiating in waves off her sister. She knew Adrianna was fighting to hold her head high. Her grey eyes fell to the floor though her nose stuck high in the air at the group glancing mockingly at her.

"Much better, My Lord, I have learned from my mistakes with the girl," Mr. Turner bowed again.

"I trust you know," the man turned to the boy, "what it is I expect you to do to prove yourself worthy in my ranks?"

"Yes, My Lord," the boy replied respectfully as he bowed.

"Wonderful," the man whispered.

As he lowered his hood, Maddison had to swallow the gasp that was pushing at her lips. Her father's master had not looked like this when Adrianna's ceremony had been held. Back then, he was almost handsome. He had shiny black hair and deep brown eyes that could stare easily into your soul. He had a flat nose, but prominent cheekbones and a strong jaw to compensate for that. Maddison trembled as she looked at the man, now.

His skin had a ghastly sheen to it, appearing slimy to the touch. His luscious locks were gone, revealing a bald glistening scalp. His flat nose had completely sunken into his face, leaving him with two slits to breathe through. His once smoldering brown eyes were now narrow scarlet slits. It was evident to her that many of his followers were not expecting the transformation, either, for she watched many sets of eyes widen like hers had. The man seemed to ignore his servants' surprise and he turned his crimson stare on the two men before him.

"Remove your hood, boy," he hissed.

The boy silently obeyed, pulling the black material from his dark hair. He remained bent before the snakelike man, focusing his dark eyes on the floor in front of him. The man's white bony fingers lay delicately on the boy's shoulders, pulling him to stand straight. His scarlet eyes peered into the boy's brown ones before he dropped his hands, a slight smirk on his thin lips.

"My friends," the man addressed the group, "tonight, this boy will receive the honor of joining our ranks. I have seen into his mind! I have seen the power this boy possesses and the way in which he wishes to use it. I must say that I am…impressed."

Maddison watched her brother's stone face closely. She had breathed a sigh of relief at the man's words. If Gregory only submitted to his commands, he would be safe. She, on the other hand…

"Gregory Turner," the man barked, staring down at the boy. "Do you wish to serve the Dark Lord? Do you vow to lay down your life for the Dark Lord? Do you swear to be faithful to the Dark Lord, and do whatever he demands of you?"

"Yes, My Lord," the boy said firmly. "I live to serve you, My Lord."

"Excellent," he hissed. "Then you know what you must do to prove your worth."

He held out his bony arm, allowing Gregory to proceed. The tall boy bowed low before walking towards his mother and sisters. He bowed his head to his mother and pressed his lips to both her cheeks. He, then, turned to Adrianna, bowed a bit lower and kissed her knuckles. When he turned to Maddison, he stared into her eyes for a brief moment, before glaring down at her and clutching her wrist tight in his fist.

He dragged his little sister to the center of the room where his father and the Dark Lord had cleared out and shoved her away from him. He spat down at her, his saliva landing on the breast of her cloak. Gregory swiped the back of his hand forcefully across her face, and Maddison rolled to the floor in a heap. She forced herself to her feet, watching him draw his wand from his robes and aiming it at her.

Without speaking a single word, Maddison's body crashed to the floor again. This time, she felt blood seeping from her forehead down the side of her face. Her brother hit her with another spell and, though she tried to bite it back, a scream escaped her lips as the fabric of her cloak was torn to shred. A thick gash between her breasts split open, soaking her black t-shirt with her hot blood. The lesion burned and Maddison chewed her lip to prevent another shrill scream. She knew what would come next. After bloodshed, he would have one last spell to perform to impress the Dark Lord. The big finale.

Although he hadn't uttered the curse, Maddison felt the sharp pain of a thousand daggers digging through her skin. She writhed on the floor, feeling as though her flesh had been set on fire. She grunted and howled against her will, tears stinging as the left her eyes. Not a minute later, Gregory released the spell, but Maddison's body remained twitching on the wood floor. She was dizzy, the room spinning all around her and she rolled to her side and emptied the contents of her stomach. She could barely hear the loud laughter around her, but she easily heard the Dark Lord congratulating her brother. It was over. He had done it. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness in a pool of her own blood and vomit.

* * *

"Please wake up," she faintly heard. "Maddi, come on, sweetheart."

Her head was pounding and she could hear her pulse thumping against her eardrums. Her throat was bone dry, she found, and she tried to swallow to no avail. She could feel a trembling hand stroking the tender skin of her face, brushing her hair out of her eyes. She smelled the sweet scent of her strawberry shampoo; someone must have cleaned her up. With great effort she lifted her hand and rubbed her heavy eyes, hearing a relieved sigh beside her. She struggled to force her eyelids open, and when she did she smiled softly.

"You did well, brother," she whispered, laying her hand against his cheek.

Her eyes surveyed his worried face as he stared down at her. He was seated on the side of her large mattress, one hand stroking hers against his face while the other balled in a fist on his thigh.

"Too well," he muttered. "I'm sorry, Maddi."

"Don't be, you did what was necessary," she croaked, licking her lips with her dry tongue.

Her brother handed her a glass of water and held it to her lips as she took a refreshing gulp.

"I shouldn't have," he shook his head. "I should have refused and gone to Dumble-"

"Quiet," Maddi urged. "You knew this would have to happen, Rory, we all did. You did exactly what he told you to do."

"And hurt you in the process," her brother frowned.

"It was worth it, Rory," Maddi assured him. "The Order needs you."

"I know," he agreed reluctantly. "I only wish I could have done it to Father, and not you."

"I do too," Maddi chuckled lightly. "But it's alright. You did very well."

Rory helped her to sit up against her headboard and he sat down beside her. He draped his arm around her shoulder and Maddi rested her head on his hard chest. She glanced down at herself for the first time since the attack. Dressed in one of her silk nightgowns, she could see the ugly gash scarring nastily between her breasts. The purple line, outline in bright red, would serve as a reminder of what she and Rory had done for the greater good. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her head further into her brother's embrace.

"You know you can't be seen acting like a friend to me anymore, don't you?" she asked sadly.

"Yes, I will have to appear cold towards you from now on," Rory agreed. "I should be following in Adrianna's footsteps, now, I suppose."

"That's what they will expect, yes," Maddi sighed. "You'd better go. We can't risk blowing your cover."

"Alright. I'll come back each night to take care of you once everyone else has gone to bed," he promised.

"Okay," Maddi smiled as he moved towards her bedroom door. "Rory, Mum would be proud."

"I hope so," he showed her a sad smile before creeping out of her room.

Maddi sighed to herself and rolled carefully to her side. She prayed to whoever was listening for strength. She prayed for the strength to get through this year, the strength to perform as well as Rory had at her own ceremony, and the strength to fight for the right side in spite of her father and his wretched master. She prayed for Rory and for his safety in his mission as a double agent. She prayed for her mother and her sister, whose minds had been so warped by fear, whose faith in humanity deteriorated each and every passing day. She prayed for it to all be over soon.

The next week went by rather slowly for Maddi. Locked up in her room to recover, she had very little to do. With not many friends, or at least none she cared to contact, she did not write any letters. Having read each and every book in the family library numerous times, she did not read at all. She daydreamed a lot, and she found a new passion for applying makeup and painting her nails to pass the time. Meals were brought to her on silver platters by one of the several family house-elves three times a day. Rory, true to his word, came to her room every night to change the bandage around her head and keep her company for an hour or so. Her father never visited and, for that, she was thankful. Her mother would poke her head in the doorway every now and then, but she would not utter a word before her heels could be heard clicking their way down the corridor. Adrianna did not come by at all. Not until the night before Maddi left for school.

It had shocked Maddi to see her eldest sibling lurking in the doorway of her bedroom. Adrianna hadn't stepped foot into Maddi's bedroom since she was inducted into the Dark Lord's inner circle. Yet, here she stood, two years later hovering at the foot of Maddi's bed. Maddi had been practicing different eye makeup techniques, therefore several bottles of powder and countless fluffy brushes were sprawled across her lavender comforter. She stared up at her sister, only one eye painted in shimmery silver cream, lined with thick black pencil, and furrowed her sculpted brow in confusion.

"Adrianna?" she questioned.

"You look ridiculous," Adrianna said, a hint of a smile on her pink lips.

She waved her wand at Maddi's face, ridding it of the half-done makeup. If she hadn't been so confused by her presence, Maddi would have pouted at the destruction of her hard work, but she only continued to stare up at her. With another wave of her wand, Adrianna cleared a space on Maddi's bed. She, then, set her wand on the night table and sat down.

Maddi continued to watch her in confusion, surveying her blank face, conveying no emotion whatsoever. Her pointed face and flawless olive skin glowed beautifully. Her long light hair fell beyond her shoulders in loose waves. Her grey eyes, nearly identical to Maddi's, were rimmed with a thin brown line of makeup, her lashes painted with brown mascara. Adrianna was naturally beautiful, and she knew as much, so she wore a small amount of makeup. She, too, was eyeing Maddi from the other side of the bed, analyzing her closely. Maddi kept her face free of her thoughts and stared back.

"I know what you're up to," Adrianna said slowly. "You and Gregory."

Maddi's breathing faltered, but she didn't show it. She kept her grey eyes blank and refused to let her panic be seen. How could she possibly have found out? Had she heard them speaking in hushed whispers? Had she been listening outside the door? Had they been too obvious? Who else knew their secret?

"I must say," Adrianna continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "I am not the least bit surprised."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Adrianna," Maddi assured her.

"I think you do, little sister," Adrianna said coolly. "You and our dear brother plan to join the battle, yes. But not for the side you are expected to."

Maddi elected to remain silent. Ever since they were children, Adrianna could see through her lies. It was as if she could read minds. Maddi found herself thanking Dumbledore for insisting she practice Occlumency with him last term.

"As I said, I am not surprised," she repeated. "You and Gregory have always strayed from the beaten path; danced to the beat of your own drums; learned from my mistakes."

Maddi quirked an eyebrow, now. Mistakes? Adrianna Turner admitting she made mistakes? But what could she possibly have done wrong?

"Do not be afraid, Maddison," Adrianna whispered. "I am not an enemy to you or your cause."

"What do you mean?" Maddi asked.

"It is true," Adrianna insisted. "I have relinquished my freedom to the Dark Lord. You must know it was not by my choice. You know how Father is, how strong he is. There was no way I could refuse. This was my destiny, I had no say in the matter. By no means was this what I wanted for myself."

She shoved the left sleeve of her black sweater up her arm, revealing the ugly black skull and snake slithering along her creamy flesh. Wetness glistened in Adrianna's light eyes as she shook her head and tugged the fabric back into place.

"I thought that much was obvious the night of my induction," she mumbled bitterly.

Maddi recalled that night very clearly. It had begun almost exactly as Rory's had a week ago. Only when Rory was thrown to Adrianna's feet, she went into a fit of hysterics and kneeled down to embrace her brother. Before she could get there, however, their father growled and tugged her hair, pulling her close to his ear. To this very day, Maddi did not know what he said to her sister, but whatever it was, it did the trick. She had aimed her wand at Rory and cursed him several time, tears streaming down her face all the while. A tear fell from Maddi's eyes and landed in a circle on her blanket as she looked back to her sister.

"I gave into the fear, Maddison. I was weak," Adrianna sniffled a little.

"You're not weak, Adrianna," Maddi consoled.

"No, not anymore, but I am in far too deep for that to matter, now," Adrianna replied.

Adrianna swallowed and looked down at her sister. She showed a true smile, a smile brighter than Maddi had seen from her sister in a long time.

"But you and Rory…you are so much stronger," Adrianna breathed proudly. "Rory doing what he is, and you following the same path…I couldn't be more proud. I only wish I could have done the same."

"You still could, Adrianna! Dumbledore could help you," Maddi rushed.

"It's far too late for me. I am to be wed in December to an acceptable Death Eater. I am expected to produce powerful offspring to add to the army the Dark Lord is building. I am beyond even Dumbledore's help," Adrianna said sadly. "Listen to me, Maddi."

Adrianna hadn't called her 'Maddi' in years. Hearing the nickname roll off her tongue so easily caused something to swell in her chest. Adrianna grasped Maddi's small hands inside her own and gazed down at her.

"Maddi, you mustn't take the mark," Adrianna whispered.

"But I haven't a choice. Even Rory had to," Maddi argued.

"Yes, because Rory is acting as one of us," Adrianna confirmed. "He will be acting as a Death Eater, carrying out His bidding, and then feeding information to Dumbledore. It is an extremely risky business, going under the Dark Lord's nose. We don't need two double agents, Maddi."

"What are you saying, Ria?" Maddi asked anxiously.

"You must join the Order of the Phoenix, Maddi."


	2. Chapter 2

****Please Review! Thanks for reading****

**That's So You**

two

Maddi's hand was firmly clasped inside her father's fist the following morning. She had shared a rushed goodbye with Rory and Adrianna before her father summoned her to the entrance hall for departure. They apparated with a loud pop and Maddi allowed him to drag her and her mother through the barrier. Thankfully, her father released his hold on her hand and Maddi flexed her uncomfortable fingers. Her father dropped her mother's hand, as well, and Maddi turned to her first.

Maddi stared down at her mother's wide grey eyes as she seemed to stare through her daughter. She clutched her mother's narrow shoulders and dug her fingertips into her skin. When the woman did not respond, Maddi gave her a little shake and smiled when the woman looked into her eyes. The woman smiled and twitched her head, swinging some of her frazzled blonde hair out of her eyes as she gazed up at Maddi. Maddi searched the zoned out woman's eyes for any trace of her former-self, but she was long gone. Maddi frowned a little before forcing a smile to her glossed lips.

"Bye, Mum," Maddi whispered, pulling the puzzled woman into a tight embrace. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

She felt her mother nod into her shoulder as she patted her back uncertainly. Maddi smiled a sad smile and pulled away slowly. She stroked her mother's tousled hair lovingly, sorting it out right, before turning to her father. He gazed down at her, a cold smirk on his lips as she looked up at him. His dark eyes watched her intently and she stared unwaveringly back at him, determined not to smile or show any sign of love for this man as he so expected her to.

"This is an important year for you, Maddison," he spoke quietly as he rested his large hands on her shoulders. "You will do well to remember where your loyalties will lie come the end of term."

"Yes, Father," she replied, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as he plucked a tiny ball of lint from her black turtle-neck sweater.

Without much more of a farewell, Maddi boarded the scarlet Hogwarts Express train and began pushing through the throng of students to get to a compartment. She found an empty one and scuttled inside, sitting gracefully on the seat beside the window. As the locomotive pulled from the station with a deafening screech, Maddi felt her lungs joyfully expand; she could finally breathe again.

"Well, well, well," she heard from the compartment door. "If it isn't Lady Turner."

She rolled her grey eyes and shook her head to herself. Maddi refused to look at the boy standing in the doorway taunting her because that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted nothing more than to get her attention; get a rise out of her. She sighed to herself, hoping if she ignored him, he'd leave her alone.

"A little hippogriff told me your brother took the mark this summer," he noted casually.

"If you're conversing with hippogriffs, you're more mentally unstable than I thought, Black," Maddi said airily not moving her gaze from the whizzing landscape.

"You must be so proud," he ignored her insult as though he had not even heard her speak. "Bet you're excited for your turn."

Maddi whipped her head around to face him, her long blonde hair orbiting her shoulders. Her grey eyes narrowed into slits and her lips pursed together tightly. She clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth together loudly as she balled her fingers into fists at the end of her long black sleeves.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Black," Maddi growled, glaring up at the handsome boy.

Sirius Black laughed loudly, his light eyes glittering with amusement as he nudged his partner in crime, James Potter. They were both handsome boys with typical Gryffindor pride and huge egos. She watched to two laugh together, rolling their eyes at her.

"In fact, it might interest you to know, Black," Maddi spat. "_Your_ dear baby brother received the mark this summer."

Black scowled at her, an angry purple vein jutting out of his throat. He sputtered vicious nonsense while Maddi merely smirked up at him. Potter watched Black, a look of fright in his hazel eyes. Maddi almost laughed as he fumbled through his robes in search of his wand; he looked like a blithering idiot. Before he could find it and take aim, however, a strong pale hand gripped his bicep tightly. Black froze for a moment, turning his head to meet the blue eyes of yet another marauder.

"Let her be, Sirius," the boy spoke calmly.

"You didn't hear what she said, Moony! She-" Black snarled, pointing a finger towards Maddi.

"Whatever she said could not possibly warrant a two-on-one attack," the boy said.

"She called Padfoot's brother a Death Eater," Potter defended, his long wand pointed at Maddi's chest.

"Like you both do to her on a daily basis?" he said pointedly. "James, you're Head Boy, now. You're supposed to be setting an example…a _good_ example."

Potter's ears burned red and he stared at his shoes. Maddi chuckled quietly at his pathetic face. When Black turned his glare back on her, she silenced herself and showed him a blank stare that could rival her mother's. She peeked over his shoulder at the only boy speaking sense, a light smirk coming to her lips.

Remus Lupin still clutched Black's arm in his fingers until Black shook him off violently. Lupin pushed his fingers through his shaggy brown hair, moving the shiny strands out of his deep blue eyes which he rolled at the back of his friend's head before turning back to Maddi. Their eyes met for a split second before Lupin turned away quickly, his skin reddening a tad. Maddi smirked to herself and looked down to examine her polished nails.

"Move, blood-traitor."

Maddi looked up in time to see Black thrown to the side by a hard shove to his broad shoulder. His cousin, Bellatrix Black, sauntered into the compartment and sat down across from Maddi and crossed her short legs one over the other. Her heavily lidded eyes surveyed the blonde, and she twirled her untamable raven hair around her long finger.

"Blood-traitors, half-blood," a deeper voice greeted mockingly.

A tall boy with dark hair and bright green eyes entered the compartment and sat down beside Bellatrix, laying his arm around her shoulders. Rodolphus Lestrange turned his long nose up at the Gryffindors in the doorway and subtly stroked Bellatrix's shoulder blade. Then, a tall lanky boy slinked into the compartment without a word and sunk into the seat beside Maddi. His black hair, shiny with oil, hung in front of his beady black eyes. He slouched against the cushion and stared down into his lap.

"Nothing to say, Snivellus?" Black mocked, and Maddi glared up at him.

The bleak boy ignored him and continued gazing into his lap. He stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his trousers and remained neutral. His stare was so intense, but blank at the same time, a strange combination. Maddi knew Severus Snape well enough to know he was focusing all of his energy on ignoring the pests… the sake of another.

"Staring at it won't make it any bigger, Snivelly," Black laughed, and Potter roared with laughter beside him, slapping him heartily on the back.

Maddi saw Severus' cheeks reddening slightly, his restrain diminishing slowly. She noticed his fingers moving inside his pockets. Maddi knew Severus Snape well enough to know he was cracking his knuckles, a habit he developed to keep himself under control…for the sake of another.

"Hey, Snivellus-"

"Fuck off, Black!" Maddi seethed.

Black and friends stared at her in shock, freezing as she shot to her feet in defense. She glared dangerously at the boys and stepped closer slowly. She could hear her friends snickering behind her, laughing at the surprise on the oh-so-bold Gryffindors' faces. As she parted her lips to shout at them once more, scream at them to leave her sight, another person came gallivanting through to corridor. As he turned to enter the compartment, he intentionally rammed his shoulder violently into Lupin, sending several of his things clattering to the floor.

Before Maddi could roll her eyes at his immaturity, the boy snaked his arm around her waist and molded his lips over hers. She could taste the cigarette he had no doubt just smoked mingling grossly with the mint he popped into his mouth on the way to the compartment. He sloppily swiped his tongue through her mouth before pulling away from her. She was barely able to resist the urge to wipe his spit from her mouth as he winked down at her. Loxus Avery winked one of his bright blue eyes down at her before shoving Severus aside with one of his meaty legs. His thick fingers ruffled his tapered black hair before they knotted themselves behind his head, showing off the toned muscles of his bulging biceps. As Severus shimmied across the cushion to give Loxus room, Maddi did roll her eyes.

"This rubbish isn't giving you any trouble, right, Mads?" she cringed at the pet-name.

"None at all," she replied through her straight teeth. "They were just leaving."

She threw them one more nasty glare before slamming the compartment door and sitting in her designated seat beneath Loxus' huge arm. He wrapped it around her and pulled her even closer until she was forced to press herself against his much too hard chest. She groaned inwardly and did her best to appear as though it were the most comfortable seat on the train.

"I've got to say, Turner," Bellatrix began as she examined her dagger-like nails, "I was a bit surprised your brother went through with it, after all. Never thought he had the stomach to follow through."

"He's braver than he looks, Bellatrix," Maddi replied coolly.

Bella narrowed her dark eyes beneath her heavy lashes. Her full lips pulled into a wide sneer before she stared at her pointy nails again.

"Braver than that wretched disgrace of a sister of yours, apparently," Loxus added.

With evil parents like his, Maddi wasn't surprised that he had known about Adrianna's dreadful ceremony. She wasn't the least bit surprised when Loxus and the other Death Eater spawn sat in the common room the entire following term mocking her sister. Loxus had even had the nerve to express to Maddi how lucky she was that he was still willing to call her his girlfriend after the weakness her sister had shown. Maddi rolled her eyes at her boyfriend and held her chin up high.

"My sister's redeemed herself in the Dark Lord's eyes, Loxus," Maddi said, feigning pride. "He has even granted her the privilege of marrying Thorfinn Rowle." Loxus scoffed.

"Obviously the Dark Lord has decided she is only good for one thing," he threw a mocking look towards Bellatrix who grinned in return.

"Yes, being a sex puppet to all of the Death Eaters seems to be the only thing she's good at," Bellatrix smiled wickedly.

"I will admit Rowle's a lucky man. Adrianna is pretty incredible to look at, isn't she?" Loxus smirked with a dazed look in his eyes.

Maddi grimaced and fought the urge to gag. Her grey eyes darted across the compartment, searching desperately for a distraction. When she found one, she nearly jumped to her feet. Maddi crouched down and picked up her inanimate savior in her hands, fingering the worn binding. _Hairy Snout, Human Heart._ She read the synopsis printed on the very last page of the book, and she found herself wondering why one of the marauders was reading an autobiography about lycanthropy. Ignoring the calls from her supposed friends, Maddi slid the compartment door open and began her journey.

She walked through the empty corridor, skimming through the pages as she strolled along. The familiar scent of worn paper filled her nostrils as she turned the yellowing pages of the secondhand book. She ran her fingertips over the tattered parchment before flipping to the next one, grimacing at the graphic drawing of what she could only assume to be a transformation. The skin of a man was being stretched across his limbs against his will. His face appeared to be shouting in agony, tears running down his cheeks until his flesh ripped open, allowing the individual to take its animalistic form. Fur sprouted from its shiny body while his manly face elongated into a snout with several jagged teeth. As the sketch was about to repeat from the beginning, Maddi collided with something extremely hard. The force of the crash knocked her to her rear and she clutched the open book to her chest.

"Bloody hell, I'm sorry. Wait," a deep voice rushed before becoming rather cold. "No, I'm not."

"Your _noble_ parents never taught you respect, Black?" she spat up at him.

"I don't reckon I see anyone worth respecting, Turner," he smirked down at her.

"Sirius," Lupin poked his head out of the corridor, his blue eyes falling on Maddi's figure on the floor. "Problem?"

"Nope, nothing wrong here, Moony," Black smirked at his friend before the taller of the two stepped past the other.

He extended his hand to Maddi and, for a moment, she only stared at it. She noticed thin lines so faintly pink against his pale skin that she reckoned nobody else had ever noticed them. She hesitated before laying her fingers in his and allowing him to pull her to her feet with a strong tug. She foolishly found herself gazing up into his eyes, and he stared back with a deep intensity Maddi was unfamiliar with. Suddenly, Lupin released her hand and it fell heavily to Maddi's curvy hip like an anchor in the sea.

"I know your secret, Lupin," she whispered quietly.

Maddi smiled at his confusion. She drummed her fingers against the hardcover book and smiled wider as his blue eyes broadened. She felt the air grow thick with tension, and she noticed Black throw a panicked look at Lupin who glanced back at him nervously. He waved Black away, shooing him back into their compartment, and closed the door with a soft click.

Lupin stammered anxiously, fumbling over his words and Maddi's smile slowly faded from her lips. She watched him wipe his hands against his black trousers, drying the sweat from his palms. He opened and closed his mouth time and time again until Maddi delicately laid her fingers over his forearm. His muscled flexed beneath her fingertips and a foreign warmth flooded Maddi's entire body as if she had just sunken into a hot bath.

"It's okay, Lupin," she breathed. "I find nocturnal beasts fascinating, as well."

"W-what?" he managed to ask after several attempt, and Maddi drummed her fingers against the book again.

"I've read up on werewolves, myself. Wonderful people, they are…most of them, anyway," she added as an afterthought. "Really interesting. Quite sad, though, how society treats people with the affliction."

"Yeah, it's awful," Lupin agreed sadly.

Remus Lupin eyed Maddison skeptically, his blue eyes surveying her face as she flicked through the pages. Her long blonde hair waved around her face and down her back. Her tongue poked out of the corner of her full lips as her wide grey eyes hurried over the writing. Her glossy lips moved subconsciously, mouthing the print as she read it silently. She was a beautiful girl; there was no way Remus could deny it. But she was dark and most likely as dangerous as the rest of her family.

Remus, much like every other wizard in the world, had heard of her family. The Turners were one of the oldest pureblood families in the entire world. Maddison's father, Thomas, had joined the Death Eaters right out of Hogwarts. From what Remus had been told, Thomas Turner has a lot of control over many of the Death Eaters, serving as You-Know-Who's right hand servant. Maddison's older sister had joined the Dark Lord's army, as well. Rumor had it, Maddison's brother had joined over the summer, much to Remus' surprise. Although he had very little interaction with Gregory Turner, Remus had believed him to be different from his family. Perhaps it was the silent way he moved through the hallways or how seriously he took classes that made Remus wonder. If he were to be completely honest with himself, Remus would admit that it was Gregory's relationship with Maddison that made him question if there could possibly be a bad bone in the boy's body.

He had been watching Maddison, admiring her from afar, since they stepped into the Great Hall as curious eleven-year-olds, eager to be sorted. Remus was floored by her beauty, even then with her long blonde hair knotted into a smooth yellow braid and blunt bangs that hung in her huge grey eyes. When she was sorted into Slytherin, the House rivaling his own, he figured it was for the best; it wouldn't do to get close to someone with his condition. Years passed quickly. He had grown into a bright young man; she a stunning young woman. Neither had really spoken to each other aside from the snotty remarks thrown between their enemy crowds.

He gazed down at her, now, still awed by her magnificence. His eyes felt dry from staring too long and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He swallowed loudly and breathed a deep breath as he blinked his blue eyes shut. When he opened them, he found Maddison looking up at him, a questioning eyebrow raised on her forehead.

"Huh?" he nearly kicked himself.

_How articulate of you, Remus, honestly, _he thought.

"I asked you if I could borrow this when you're through with it," she repeated with a soft smile as she waved the heavy book in front of his face.

"Oh, right. Yeah, of course," he managed.

"Thanks," she grinned, pushing the book into his open hands.

"Anytime," he smiled back as she turned to leave. "Maddison!"

She turned back slowly. Remus wasn't sure why he had shouted her name. He didn't have anything else to say to her, so why had he called out to her? She stared at him a few feet away, her grey eyes wide in wonder. He wracked his brain, desperately searching for something of substance to say. She strolled towards him slowly when he didn't speak again. She laid her fingers over his arm again and smiled when he parted his lips a little more confidently.

"I'm sorry about your brother," he said stupidly, regretting it when she tensed. "I mean…what Sirius said about your brother."

"I'm sorry, too," she smiled sadly.

"What for?" Remus' eyebrows crinkled.

"I've got secrets, too, Lupin," she whispered before spinning around and walking away.


	3. Chapter 3

****Merry Christmas, my lovely readers! As my gift to you for Christmas/New Years, I will be posting one chapter for each of my stories over the next few days! This is the first to be published, so check back for the newest chapters in Only Joking: A Fred Weasley Story and Out of the Ashes (SB) PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks for reading! I hope you all have an amazing holiday!****

That's So You

three

In the Great Hall, Maddi sat in between Loxus and Bellatrix at the Slytherin table for the welcoming feast. She effortlessly dismissed their questions regarding her whereabouts and began tossing together a plateful of salad. She sipped her pumpkin juice from its golden goblet as Loxus snaked a protective arm around her narrow waist. Maddi nearly jumped off her seat at the unexpected contact and she whipped her head to face him, her blonde waves orbiting her shoulders.

"Can I help you?" she spoke through her straight teeth.

"I've missed you," he whispered huskily in her ear.

"I'm sure," she rolled her grey eyes. "Could you possibly refrain from touching me until I've eaten a proper meal, at least?"

"A proper meal," Bellatrix scoffed. "The only way _that_ would be classified a proper meal is if you were a bunny."

"There's nothing wrong with eating a salad for dinner, Bella," Maddi gazed down at her plate full of greens.

"You're skin and bones," Severus noted from across the table. "You could afford to eat a bit of beef or chicken."

"Leave Mads alone, you lot," Loxus commanded. "I think it wise she doesn't eat much; it'll keep her from adding on any additional unnecessary pounds. In fact, I personally think you should skip a meal or two. Can't have a chubby broad hanging on my arm, now, can I?"

Maddi focused on the dish before her, poking a few large red tomatoes across the bed of emerald. Her fork poked at a round black olive before she speared a thinly sliced pale green cucumber. She stared at the food stuck to the end of her silver utensil, deciding whether or not to let it pass between her plump lips. With a heavy sigh, she laid the silverware down on the table and lifted her eyes from her plate. Severus' black eyes were watching her closely as she played with her dinner. He gave her a meaningful stare once she finally met his gaze and she frowned to herself, tearing her eyes from his. She, then, stuck her fork through the cucumber a second time and guided it towards her lips. She ate more slowly than she normally would; her appetite had long vanished, unlike Severus' watchful eyes. The bitter taste of vinegar and oil on every bite that Maddi normally loved suddenly repulsed her, and a gag at the back of her throat threatened each gulp.

"To the dungeons?" Bellatrix suggested with a smirk.

"Off we go," Maddi agreed, setting down her silverware again much too eagerly for Severus' liking.

The quartet walked through the chilly corridors, down the slippery damp steps into the dark and daunting dungeons where their common room awaited. Bellatrix hissed the password (serpent for the beginning of term) and the four Slytherins entered the cool lounge. Bellatrix immediately towered over a younger student who was seated in her self-proclaimed seat beside the fire: a large emerald armchair with elaborate silver legs. The small girl, no more than a third year, cowered beneath her before scrambling to her feet and darting to the other end of the common room. Severus occupied the remaining arm chair beside the hissing flames across from Bellatrix's throne and immediately stuck his nose inside of a Potions textbook. Maddi lead Loxus towards the black sofa in between their friends, although he had been trying fiercely to drag her towards the seventh year dormitories. She sat down on the center cushion and Loxus plopped down in the seat to her right with a childish pout on his lips.

"Maddi!"

The blonde twisted her body at the call of her name, a bright smile gracing her beautiful face.

"Ah! There's my wonderful little cousin," Bellatrix smiled proudly, causing Maddi's to falter slightly.

"Reg," Maddi beamed as he pulled her to her feet and caught her in a tight embrace.

"I'm so glad you're alright! I was really worried after Gregory's ceremony," the thin boy gushed.

"I'm fine, Reg, really," she smiled at him once more, pulling him to sit beside her on the sofa. "How are you?"

"Fantastic," he assured her, but Maddi could see the terror gleaming in his light blue eyes.

"Of course he's fantastic, Maddison!" Bellatrix cried gleefully. "The youngest Death Eater to ever be accepted into our Lord's inner circle. How could he be anything but honored?"

Regulus Black was, indeed, the youngest Death Eater there had ever been. It was a fact that Maddi had done her best to prevent. She recalled the night so clearly, even then in the common room, that Regulus told her the news. He was not ecstatic or proud, nor was he angry or outraged. He was sad and scared, terrified and defeated. He had told her before they left for summer holiday a few months ago that he would be inducted into the Dark Lord's army in three weeks' time. She could still hear his deep voice shaking as he spoke in a tone so numb, it caused a shiver to chill Maddi's spine and she shuddered beside him on the sofa.

Maddi had recognized the numbness, relating it to that of her own mother's, and begged him not to take the mark. She urged him to decline the Dark Lord's offer; a suggestion Regulus had scoffed at. _Nobody denies the Dark Lord…and lives_, he had said. Maddi encouraged him to try and, at the very least, delay the induction. _You could use your young age as an excuse,_ she'd suggested desperately. _You don't have to do this, Reg, you don't,_ she had cried. _Sirius ran away; you could too,_ Maddi had offered.

Yes, Regulus was the little brother of Maddi's sworn enemy. It had killed her to speak his name, let alone encourage Regulus to follow in his footsteps. But if there was anything Maddi had to admit about Sirius Black it was that he was brave and he had a hell of a lot of nerve when it came to his beliefs. Regulus used to idolize Sirius as a child, Maddi knew, but when Sirius fled from their home, Regulus was left alone to bask in the fear and influence of his wretched parents. Maddi resented Sirius for abandoning his younger sibling, leaving him on his own to cope with the pureblood madness. Sirius had to have known that Regulus' resistance would diminish rapidly without him there. So, Maddi took Regulus under her wing without a second thought. After all, she had Rory to look up to (and apparently Adrianna, as well). She took it upon herself to make sure that Regulus had a role model to steer him away from the dark path he was headed down.

Those three weeks leading up to his ceremony, Regulus clung to Maddi's side. He was a scared, sixteen-year-old boy without nowhere else to turn and Maddi would be damned if she would have let him go through that terror alone. Their closeness, however, brought more fear and paranoia on Regulus' quaking shoulders. _What if they make me hurt you since Sirius…_he had cried. _Then, you do what you must to keep yourself safe,_ Maddi replied. _You can still get out of it, Reg…I can help you,_ Maddi had pleaded for the umpteenth time. _I'm too far in to not go through with it, now, Maddi. It's tomorrow night, after all, _Regulus had sobbed into her shoulder defeated.

So Regulus took the mark the very next night. She was grateful, for his sake, that the Dark Lord did not ask him to prove himself worthy. The snake seemed more than eager to mold the young boy into his loyal servant. However, the Dark Lord tested Regulus' loyalty by his own hand and the hands of his men, each firing countless hexes at him. It was Maddi who nursed Regulus back to health that night and quelled his screaming as he awoke every few minutes from the nightmares. She had held him tightly, cradling him to her large bosom and stroked his soft black hair with trembling fingers the entire night.

She felt his knee bump hers as they sat side by side on the ebony couch. Maddi blinked rapidly, ripping herself from her thoughts and brought her wide-eyed stare to meet Regulus' blue eyes. He showed her a lopsided smile quite similar to his brother's and shook his head at her.

"Pull your head out of the clouds, Maddi," he chuckled.

"Sorry, what'd I miss?" she joked, though she really wasn't sure what they were talking about anymore.

"I asked you if there was any serious damage," Regulus repeated.

"No, not really," Maddi replied with a shrug as she subtly tightened her robes around her throat.

"It must have been hard for your brother. You guys are so close," Regulus noted.

"Rory's strong. He knew what he would be expected to do for his own survival," Maddi dismissed. "Besides, I can handle anything anyone throws at me anyway."

"Sure you can," Bellatrix rolled her droopy eyes with a taunting smile creeping onto her lips.

"Don't start this again, Bella," Maddi warned wearily.

"I'm not starting anything, Maddison. Merely finishing what _you_ started last year," Bellatrix countered.

"Enough, ladies. We all know Maddi won the duel, Bellatrix. Let it go," Severus advised without removing his beady eyes from the tattered pages of his book.

"She did not!" Bellatrix cried, rising to her feet. "It was a draw, if anything!"

"You both performed incredibly well, there's no denying that. But, in the end, Maddi walked away the victor," Regulus chimed in. "She's got that nasty blasting curse. It would have blown you to pieces if she had been aiming to kill."

"Yeah, but Bella's Relashio nearly boiled my arm to nothing," Maddi added humbly, easily noticing the rage flickering in Bellatrix's eyes.

"Exactly," Bellatrix eased herself back into her seat. "It was a draw."

"Fine, Bellatrix, just shut up already," Loxus snapped.

"What's got your wand in a knot, Avery?" Regulus barely stifled his chuckle deep in his throat.

"Nothing," he muttered bitterly, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the roaring flames.

"Someone's a bit touchy this evening," Regulus replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Piss off, Black," Loxus growled. "I am _not _in the mood."

"Oh, Maddi, you'd better satiate the beast before he unleashes his fury upon us all," Bellatrix cackled at her own joke.

Maddi rolled her large eyes around their sockets, and a loud gasp slid through her teeth as she found herself being ripped from her seat. She felt her knuckles crack as they got caught in between Loxus' and she winced at the odd sensation. She had to jog to keep up with him and take two stairs at a time as he rushed them up the boys' dormitory staircase. He threw his door open with an echoing bang and tugged Maddi into his chest as he kicked the wood shut behind them. His lips ravished hers and Maddi struggled to keep up with the fast pace he had created as he backed her towards one of the three four-poster beds. Her knees buckled as the firm mattress connected with them, and Maddi toppled backwards onto the soft emerald cushion. Her blonde hair fanned out angelically against the silky green comforter and she clenched her eyes shut tightly as Loxus continued to invade her mouth with his slippery tongue.

She shuddered as his rough fingers slipped up her school shirt and began popping the buttons open haphazardly, the little plastic pieces bounced along the wooden floorboards. She knew that this was her cue to remove his shirt from his sculpted body. So she did, tossing the light fabric to the floor along with his Slytherin tie. She cringed as she indifferently ran her fingertips along his bumpy torso, but she pretended to be intrigued by the bulging muscles. He pulled away from her lips to watch her "hungry" eyes survey his body "admiringly" before dipping towards her throat with an evident smirk.

He sucked on her neck, biting and nibbling on the sensitive skin. Maddi faked a breathy moan of encouragement and closed her eyes as though in ecstasy. He quickly attacked her swollen red lips once more before ripping away violently. He ripped her shirt from her arms and gazed down at her beautiful body, a look of lust that Maddi was sickeningly familiar with passed over his blue eyes. But the arousal vanished almost immediately as his eyes fell on her heaving chest.

"What the hell is that?" he asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Maddi glanced down at herself. She winced at the nasty purple zig-zag resting in between her breasts. The mark defiled her once flawless physique. She felt the tears welling up behind her eyes, but she gazed up at Loxus strongly.

"A token from my brother," Maddi raised a blonde eyebrow.

"That thing is hideous, Maddison," Loxus spat. "Put this back on so we can finish this quickly."

He tossed her school shirt back at her. Maddi frowned to herself and slid her slender arms through the sleeves as he made quick work of her wool skirt and lace knickers. She felt him reaching a hand between their bodies, unfastening the button of his trousers, before hastily shimmying out of them. Her entire body tensed as his calloused fingers dipped between her legs, swiping her sensitive bits. Maddi clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth together tightly as she anticipated his next move.

With one sure thrust, he plunged into her and she whined in pain, a sound Loxus had come to assume meant pleasure. She laid still, allowing him to move her however he pleased, and gripped the duvet beneath her. Maddi winced with every movement, cried out with every violent push, breathing a sigh of relief when he pulled out of her. His hot juices poured onto her stomach, staining her white uniform with pale yellow streaks. He panted as he hovered over her still body before reaching for his wand and aiming it down at her.

"Scourgify," he muttered, and the foreign liquid disappeared without a trace.

Loxus crouched down and gathered Maddi's remaining clothing before throwing them to her. Without another word, he trudged to the side of his bed, pulled back the covers, and slithered beneath them. He rested his sweaty head on his pillow and closed his droopy eyes while Maddi redressed herself. She did not acknowledge Loxus as she left his dormitory for the night and headed to her own.

She snuggled beneath her blankets and closed her eyes in the dark bedroom. But sleep did not come. An hour or so later, Maddi had heard Bellatrix enter their bedroom and slip beneath her own covers. Bellatrix's heavy breathing told Maddi that the raven-haired beauty had fallen fast asleep. Time ticked by, minutes into hours, and Maddi finally decided she would not fall into a deep slumber anytime soon. She threw her covers from her body, slipped her feet into warm black slippers, and descended the stairs to the dimly lit common room.

Maddi sunk into the cushions of the ebony sofa and gazed at the low dancing flames. She stared blankly for…she wasn't sure how long, actually. She had been so numbly focused on the flames that she had not realized she was no longer alone. She leapt out of her skin when somebody sat down close beside her, and she laid a dainty hand over her thumping heart.

"Bloody hell, Severus, you scared me," Maddi gasped.

"It's a bit early in the school year to be skipping sleep, Maddi," he noted with a slight smirk.

"I could say the same to you, Sev," she smirked back.

"Don't call me that," he snapped, glancing down at his lap sadly.

"Right, sorry," Maddi apologized gently.

Evans had called him by that name since they were children, he had told Maddi once. Now that the redhead wouldn't so much as spare Severus a glance, he would not allow anyone to call him by that name…_her _name. Lily Evans was a Gryffindor, a muggle-born, who had stolen Severus Snape's heart long ago. She was a stunning girl, Maddi had to admit. She had beautiful, silky auburn hair that hung down the middle of her back in a smooth straight sheet. Her emerald eyes shone like the grass on a gorgeous, bright summer day. She had the kindest smile Maddi had ever seen before, like a mother's open arms inviting you in. Lily Evans was at the top of the class, a truly brilliant witch, who could most likely outwit anybody, any day of the week. It was no wonder she had so many admirers.

James Potter, the arrogant baboon of a boy, led the Lily Evans fan-club, though he'd never dare let anybody else join. He was immature and dramatic, always asking Lily out in the most ridiculously theatric way possible. Six years, and she had never once agreed. He, and he alone, made certain that the poor girl never had a proper relationship her entire time at Hogwarts. Potter intimidated any bloke who had the gall to glance at Lily twice, sending several innocent boys to the hospital wing for week long intervals. The only boy who was not deterred by Potter's (and his marauder flock) antics was Severus.

Time and time again, Potter and his cronies would attack Severus in an attempt to embarrass him. Potter sought out to humiliate the poor boy in front of the girl her loved. But he tolerated their torture, so long as he had Lily. But things took a turn for the worse last spring. Potter sunk to a new low the day he suspended Severus in the air and removed his trousers, showing off his dingy underpants. Lily Evans boldly intervened, shouting at Potter to leave Severus alone. That was the moment Severus made the biggest mistake of his life…thus far, anyway.

He hadn't meant to, really. He never saw Lily any differently because of it. He was just so enraged, he hadn't been thinking clearly. But once it was said, he could not ever take it back. Lily would never forgive him for calling her a Mudblood. That had been nearly six months ago, and she still would not so much as look at Severus, although Maddi suspected it hurt her to do it.

Ever since then, Lily Evans (or any subtle reminder of her, for that matter) was completely off-limits. Maddi could not even mention Muggle Studies without Severus shouting at her and mistaking it for some sort of backhanded, snide comment. She made a mental note not to call him 'Sev' again, either.

"You know there's nothing wrong with you, don't you?" his bleak voice asked, breaching the silence abruptly.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Severus repeated quietly. "You don't need to lose weight, and you certainly don't need to be with someone who treats you the way Avery does."

"I- I know," Maddi brushed off his words. "He's not wrong; I could shed a few pounds here and there."

"No, you're fine the way you are," Severus insisted. "Your weight is lower than average, to be honest."

"Leave it alone, Severus," Maddi said firmly.

He remained quiet for a moment, surveying her stony expression. Maddi continued her staring contest with the dying flames and tugged her black sleeved further down her arms. She ran her fingers through her soft hair and counted her breaths, regulating their tempo.

"You deserve better, Maddi," Severus whispered.

"No, I don't," Maddi argued dismally.

"You do. You could have any bloke in the entire school. Instead you're with that twat who doesn't treat you right," Severus countered. "Black desires you."

"I could never be with Reg, Severus," Maddi sighed; she could never be with a Death Eater if she intended to rebel one day.

"I meant his charming brother, actually," Severus smirked.

"Oh well aren't you a riot," Maddi laughed and rolled her eyes as she stood up slowly. "I'm going to sleep."

"Sleep well," Severus let a smile tug at the corners of his thin lips.

She turned away from Severus, a smile still ghosting her lips. She shook her head to herself and pushed her blonde hair out of her eyes. Her slippers scraped the stone floor as her feet began climbing the winding staircase. She burrowed herself beneath her blankets and forced herself to fall asleep as the orange sun began to peek out over the horizon.

* * *

"How'd you sleep, Maddi?" Regulus asked, lowering himself into the vacant seat on her right.

"Alright," she lied.

He obviously did not believe her. Regulus could not miss the purple crescents beneath her beautiful grey eyes. He could see the creamy makeup she had applied to cover the purple rings. She had lined her bottom eyelid with white eyeliner to make them appear wider as they drooped tiredly. He could tell she had overslept because her long blonde hair was tied back in a sleek high ponytail; she had not had time to style it the way she normally would. Not that Regulus took much notice to Maddison Turner.

"Do you want my bacon?" she asked, pushing the plate with four juicy strips of meat towards him.

"No, you eat it," he declined, spooning some bright yellow eggs onto his platter.

"I'm not hungry," she sighed.

"You barely ate a thing," Severus stated as he raised a dark eyebrow at her.

"Yes, I did," she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth; and that's how Regulus knew she was lying.

"Why don't you eat two strips, and I'll eat the rest," Regulus offered, feeling as though he were fighting with a toddler over finishing their vegetables at supper.

"Fine," Maddi pouted, taking a tiny bite of the bacon.

Regulus watched her, though he tried to force his attention elsewhere. He caught her grimace as she swallowed the minute bite of meat. She wrapped her slender arms around her stomach as she took another bite, a bit bigger this time. He smiled to himself as she took her third bite, finishing the strip all at once before confidently picking up the next slice. She tore it in half and chewed it slowly.

Regulus was vaguely aware of Avery dropping into the seat on Maddi's left side, but Maddi surely took notice. She dropped the remaining slice of bacon on the plate and shoved it away offensively. She wiped her greasy fingers on the cloth napkin and wrapped her arms securely around her waist once more. Regulus watched her flinch as Avery's arm slithered around her hips, tugging her closer to his body. Maddi kept her eyes trained on the glossy tabletop as Avery pressed his lips sloppily to her cheek. He took her unfinished bacon between his fingers and ate it himself, much like he did with the rest of the eggs and toast on the glass dish in front of her.

Regulus hadn't realized how tightly he was clutching his fork until he felt a sharp kick to his shin. He tore his angry stare away from Avery and met Severus' black eyes, filled without understanding. Severus bowed his head, moving his eyes to Regulus' hand. Regulus glanced down and loosened his hold, noticing his reddened skin had dented to the form of his utensil. He took a deep breath and nodded in thanks to Severus before taking an angry bite of his own breakfast.

"Where's your cousin this morning, Black?" Avery asked; how dare he have the nerve to speak to Regulus.

"How should I know?" Regulus muttered.

"Now, look who's touchy," Avery mocked with a wide grin.

"Come, Regulus," Severus interrupted before Regulus could lash out at Avery. "We should get to Charms."

"Fine," Regulus threw one final glare at Avery before following Severus through the giant Oak doors.

"You best learn to control your temper, Regulus," Severus advised.

"And how exactly do you propose I do that?" Regulus said through gritted teeth. "You saw the way she was eating and how her confidence evaporated when that git joined us! He's destroying her, Severus. You can't expect me to just stand by and ignore it."

"You must," Severus said evenly. "Maddi's a big girl; she can handle herself."

"Against him? No, she can't," Regulus argued.

"She's stronger than any of us could possibly know," Severus said, and before Regulus could question the meaning of his statement, the bleak black-haired boy entered the classroom and took his seat at the opposite side of the room.


	4. Chapter 4

****Thanks for reading! Enjoy, Review!****

**That's So You**

four

Much to Maddi's surprise, her father did not drag her back to the manor for Christmas that year. He had decided not to host the annual Turner Ball due to 'unplanned circumstances,' which really meant his Lord had sent him on an untimely assignment. Maddi had half a mind to return home for the holidays, if only to spend it with her sister and absentminded mother alone in the mansion for a few weeks. But her better judgment told her to stay put at Hogwarts with Severus, who would also not be returning to his dismal home that winter.

Still, Maddi trotted outside to the horseless carriages all bundled up in comfortable sweaters and a bright emerald scarf fastened around her throat. Her arm was linked with Regulus' as they fought their way through the quickly falling snow, trailing slightly behind Loxus and Bellatrix. Bellatrix was hanging off her boyfriend's arm while he chatted with Loxus, their heads bowed down against the wet white flurries. To them, it appeared Maddi was accompanying them to the carriages to see them all off. In truth, she only wished to say goodbye to Regulus who would be tossed back under his mother's watch for the next three weeks.

"You're sure you don't want to stay with us? Mother would love to have you," Regulus offered.

"No, Reg, I'd like to stay here. Thank you though," Maddi smiled over at him.

Before long, the group reached the carriages and took their turns embracing Maddi goodbye. Rodolphus embraced her in a quick, sideways hug before climbing into the horseless carriage. Bellatrix locked her thin arms around Maddi's neck and kissed her cheek, a sisterly display Maddi had grown accustomed to despite their countless quarrels. Regulus snaked his hands around her waist and he, too, pressed his lips against Maddi's cheek, however there was nothing brotherly about the sign of affection. His grey eyes lingered on hers after he pulled away before he glanced down at his snow covered boots and clambered into the carriage after his cousin. Loxus, then, wrapped his muscular arms around Maddi's entire body and pressed a sloppy kiss to her lips. He stroked her blonde hair when they parted and gazed down at her with warning eyes.

"Be a good girl while I'm away, won't you, Maddison?" he said haughtily, reminding her remarkably of her own father.

"Of course, my love," she replied dutifully.

He nodded once and turned to hoist himself into the carriage. Maddi stood alone in the frigid weather and waved to her friends as the cart (somehow) pulled them away towards the station. Once they were out of sight, she began her trek through the ankle-deep snow back towards the castle. She stomped her black boots against the stone floor of the entrance hall, ridding the black leather of the wet snow that clung to the material. She ruffled her yellow hair and unraveled her scarf from her neck as she made her way towards the Slytherin common room.

Maddi was more than excited to have the common room mostly to herself for the holidays with the exception of Severus and a few younger kids who stayed behind, as well. She tossed her scarf over the back of the ebony couch and sat down heavily, her frail body sinking slightly into the fluffy cushions. She propped her dripping boots on top of the polished table and knotted her short fingers behind her head, her grey eyes fluttering closed as a smile ghosted her lips.

"Not much of a lady without your king around, are you, Lady Turner?"

Maddi opened one eye to peek at Severus, her smile dropping into a nasty sneer.

"Don't call me that," she growled and shut her eyes once more. "And for your information, Avery is not my king."

"Of course not. The Dark Lord is," she heard him occupy the seat beside her.

"He most certainly is not," Maddi argued.

"Soon enough," Severus said, and Maddi could hear the smirk in his dull voice.

"Yes, yes I suppose you're right," she sighed and leaned forward in her seat.

"You sound upset," Severus noted, his beady eyes watching her every move.

"Not upset, exactly," Maddi chose her words carefully. "Nervous is a better word."

"For what?" he inquired.

"For what? In six months' time, I'll be selling my freedom to a man who will not hesitate to have me kill for him or lie down with his men. My entire life will change, so much will be expected of me. Tell me, Severus, what should I not be nervous for?" Maddi rushed.

"You've known this was your fate all along. You have been raised by the same man who serves the Dark Lord most loyally. You are born of your mother's womb, who sacrificed her sanity for the Dark Lord's cause," Severus said with an air of compliment.

"Not by choice," Maddi muttered under her breath.

"Forgive me if I am mistaken, Maddison, but I was under the impression that this was the path you wished to follow," Severus eyed her suspiciously.

"It is," Maddi defended. "I know no other path, nor do I wish to find another to follow. The Dark Lord's cause is one I firmly believe in and will do my very best to defend."

"Then you have nothing to fear, Lady Turner," Severus assured her. "The Dark Lord rewards those who are devoted to him."

Maddi watched Severus run his index finger along the underside of his left forearm. His eyes were focused on his lap, again, and he continued to stroke his arm over his black cloak. His shiny black hair hung in front of his face, casting dark shadows across his pale sin. Suddenly, he lifted his gaze and met Maddi's curious stare and she looked away quickly.

"I think I'll go to the library for a bit," Maddi rose to her feet. "Find a good read while the others are away."

She didn't wait for Severus to reply; Maddi knew he would only nod. She ran her fingers through her golden curls and left the emerald common room. Her feet moved silently aside from the occasional squeak her soles gave when she turned a corner, the bottoms of her boots still damp from the snow. She entered the library and smiled to herself at the comforting warmth and scent of old, yellowed parchment. She stopped in the doorway, scanning the open area away from the countless shelves holding an infinite amount of books. She saw him sitting all by himself, his blue eyes darting in horizontal lines as they read the book he had opened on the tabletop.

"All alone, Lupin?" she asked quietly when she came up behind him. "Or are the rest of the marauders waiting to jump out and attack me?"

She knew she had startled him and she smirked a little bit when he spun around in his seat. He laid a hand over his pounding heart and smiled up at her, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. His eyes lingered on hers as she waited for his response, a small smile pulling at the corners of her pouty lips.

"You're safe with me," he said softly. "The others went home for the holidays, I mean."

"And here I thought you four were attached at the hip," Maddi teased, sitting herself on the corner of his table.

"Most of the time we are. It gets a bit uncomfortable, actually, what with Sirius' love life and Peter's lactose intolerance," Lupin joked back with a smirk as Maddi chuckled.

"You mean Black's love life with Potter? I reckon that would be a quite revolting to witness," Maddi continued to poke fun at his friends. "Tell me, Lupin, which one's the catcher?"

"Ah, I think you already know the answer to that," he played along.

"Potter," they said in unison, and Maddi laughed.

The brilliant smile on her face dazzled Remus as he looked up at her. She had propped herself up on the edge of the table beside his arm and crossed one slender leg over the other. She pushed her fingers through her bouncy hair and slowly quelled her laughter, yet her pretty lips remained in a soft smile. He watched her eyes dance across his face before falling on the book laid out before him.

"Is that another one of your werewolf novels?" she asked conversationally.

"No, it's just the Transfigurations textbook," he half-smiled up at her. "I figured I'd do McGonagall's essay while the guys aren't here; it's sort of hard to focus with them around."

"I could imagine," Maddi commented with an odd scoff.

"Have you started your essay yet?" he asked.

"No," Maddi confessed. "Do you think…never mind?"

"Go ahead?" he insisted.

"I was just going to ask if you would mind helping me with it. Just to get it started, at least?" she asked, watching his eyes widen in surprise.

"You want _my_ help?" he asked and glanced around as if she were speaking to somebody else.

"No, I was actually talking to troll behind you. Yes, your help," Maddi laughed again. "You're the smartest student in our year."

"I'm pretty sure Lily Evans is-"

"The smartest student in our year who doesn't want to hex my skin to pieces," Maddi corrected with a roll of her eyes. "If you don't want to, it's no big deal. I can just ask Sev-"

"No! I mean, of course I'll help if you need help," he said hastily as he ran his fingers through his shaggy brown hair.

"I do," Maddi smiled and hopped down off the table and sat down in the seat beside him.

It was a lie. Maddi did not need help with school work, least of all in Transfigurations. She had excelled in the subject since she was eleven years old and turned her beetle into a button on the very first try. Even her wand was ideal for the art of transfiguration: a pliable, nine inch mahogany wand with a unicorn tail core. But since it wasn't a Potions textbook sprawled across the oak table, Maddi made do with what was presented to her.

Lupin allowed her to borrow a roll of parchment and his 'favorite' quill so that they could begin their essays together at that moment. She smiled to herself as he told her the story behind the pearl white quill, a start-of-school gift from his late grandmother who Lupin's description of reminded Maddi of the perfect Lily Evans from Snape's childhood tales. She smiled up at him and dipped the quill into the jar of ink they'd be sharing.

She wasn't entirely sure how many hours had passed when she realized she had put down the quill and stopped writing. She wasn't positive how she had only managed to write four sentences in all the time she'd spent in the library. She hadn't the faintest idea how Remus Lupin had got her laughing until tears rolled down her cheeks and her sides ached. She only knew that she didn't want it to stop. But all good things must come to an end.

Maddi's belly gave a loud roar and she laid her hand over it, her laughter subsided instantaneously. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes danced everywhere but Lupin's smiling face. He was laughing at her.

"Hungry?" he asked softly.

"I can do without," Maddi replied and ignored Lupin's skeptical gaze.

"We can head to the Great Hall for dinner. We've been at it for hours," he noted, slipping his rusted pocket watch back into his pocket.

Maddi nodded and stood from her seat. She rolled her parchment neatly and held it firmly in her fingertips. She wasn't sure why she remained standing stone still staring down at him while he gathered his things. She felt as though she had been nailed to the spot, unable to move one foot in front of the other to create distance between them. She felt like a moth drawn to a light, fluttering towards it without the desire to think about anything else.

As he rose to his feet, Maddi followed his face with her eyes. She hadn't realized how closely she had been standing to him until his was gazing down at her. The sweet breath leaving his nostrils kissed her face, blowing stray strands of silk out of her eyes while she blinked up at him. Somehow, she managed to unstick her feet from the stone and stepped back two paces. She tossed him a sweet smile and turned on her heel.

"Maddi," he called for her, striding to catch up. "Perhaps we could do this again sometime."

Maddi's eyebrows bolted reflexively up on her forehead. She knew her eyes had widened considerably and her lips had parted in her surprise. She mentally kicked herself for not flashing her signature smile right away, thus filling him with tremendous doubt.

"I mean, if you want. We didn't get much done, so I just thought…"

"That sounds lovely," Maddi smiled up at him. "We can meet back here tomorrow after dinner if you'd like."

"That sounds perfect," he replied smiling widely.

"I'll see you then," Maddi winked and turned to enter the Great Hall.

* * *

It was the third night Maddi had spent in the library with Remus and, yes, they were finally on a mutual first name basis. She smiled to herself and shook her head at the thought that at one point, she had only breathed his surname in a nasty manner. No matter how many times she had apologized for the way she and her friends had treated him, she could not forgive herself even if Remus could. Although she had never been outright mean to him, she never did anything to prevent her friends from picking on him and, for that, she was truly sorry.

As she walked alone back down to the cold dungeons, Maddi found herself wishing she had spoken to Remus sooner. She thought back on all of the years she had known he existed and acted as if he didn't. Six years Maddi had ignored Remus aside from the occasional scowl while their respective crowds fought. Now, in their seventh and final year of school, Maddi had finally given him a chance and she wished she hadn't wasted so much time. Before long, her life would be far too dangerous to be romantically involved with someone, let alone someone as gentle and kind as Remus Lupin.

Her feet stopped moving beneath her as the words spun around in her head. Romantically involved…with Remus Lupin? Where had that thought come from? Is that what she had been after all this time? She would admit she had been intrigued by the Gryffindor and wanted to get to know who he was beneath the intelligent, withdrawn exterior, beyond the books and prefects badge he had worn on his robes two years ago. But she had never consciously considered him as a lover. Hell, she had barely begun considering him as a friend. Still, there she stood, her weight propped against the icy stone wall of the dungeons, contemplating all of the outrageous possibilities regarding Remus.

She shook her head free of the unreachable desires and resumed her journey to the Slytherin common room. Maddi hissed the password and stepped inside the common room. She glowered for a moment, wishing their common room would have been warmer than the frigid hallways before she made her way towards the girls' stairs.

"Another late night, Lady Turner?" a monotone voice called as her feet climbed the first two steps.

She spun around to find the speaker and rolled her eyes when she did. She laid a hand on her hip and flicked her long hair over her narrow shoulders. She pursed her full lips, waiting for him to continue before she responded.

"Growing fond of Lupin, Lady Turner?" Severus raised a black eyebrow.

Maddi didn't reply. She was too busy struggling to keep her emotions off of her beautiful face to craft an adequate retort. She reenacted the blank stare her mother had taught her so well and watched Severus' thin lips curve into a smirk. He rose slowly from the armchair he was occupying and stepped towards her, tapping his fingertips together. When he reached her, she stared directly into his black eyes and waited.

"Needless to say, I do not particularly approve. But my approval doesn't truly matter, does it?" Severus spoke softly. "No, only the Dark Lord's approval matters. A blessing I do not foresee you receiving any time soon."

"What are you getting at, Snape?" Maddi hissed.

"Using my surname, now, Maddison? There's no need to grow hostile. Not with me, at least," Severus assured her. "I mean only to advise you. Put a stop to this now, before things get too serious."

"You are not my father, Severus. Nor are you my master," Maddi growled, narrowing her light eyes.

"Would you prefer for either of them to take action? They will not take this news lightly, Maddison. The actions they will take will be detrimental. You would be lucky to walk away with your life, extremely blessed if you manage to do so without your lover's blood on your hands," Severus's words sent a violent shiver up her spine.

"He's not my lover," Maddi denied.

"In due time he will be," Severus stated confidently. "End it, Maddison. You two live in completely different worlds. Worlds where the other is not accepted. Now, I will keep your secret as long as it does not threaten my safety, but I cannot promise that will be very long."

"Why would you promise me such a thing?" Maddi questioned warily.

"Despite common belief, I am not a heartless person, Maddi," he spoke gently. "I care about you, whether I wish to or not. I do not want to see any harm come to you, but if you continue this forbidden relationship, destruction will be inevitable."

"You're awfully quiet this evening," Remus noted casually. "Is anything wrong?"

"Nothing," Maddi smiled. "I'm fine."

His blue eyes watched her wearily before he dipped his quill into the inkwell and began scratching the tip against his parchment. Over the past few nights, the pair had nearly completed their assignment, as well as gotten to know each other a lot better than Maddi ever would have dreamed. He had shared stories of his childhood, confiding in her his resentment for his father, though he did not give details as to why. Remus had described his mother to her, a loving and caring woman who definitely passed her genuineness down to her wonderful son.

In turn, Maddi had told Remus memories of her own childhood, the edited versions of course. She had omitted parts involving her father or his colleagues; her sister or her assignments; her mother or her sanity. She spoke mostly of Rory and how close they had been as children. She told Remus how Rory used to lie to their father's face to cover up for something Maddi had done wrong, and how they used to chase each other around the backyard, and all of the trees they had climbed together.

"Rory was the one who taught me how to fly a broom," Maddi smiled to herself. "My sister and I were never allowed to ride a broomstick. My father felt it was unladylike, you see. So one day, Rory took me to a clearing behind our house and showed me how to mount it. Before long, I was soaring through the sky. The freedom still feels as fresh as it had nine years ago."

"You speak very highly of your brother," Remus commented with a smile, watching as Maddi's lips spread into a grin.

"He's been my best friend since before I can remember. He's the only role model I've ever had to look up to when I was younger," Maddi's smile turned a bit sadder.

"And now?" he asked curiously.

"He still is," Maddi admitted, watching his face for his reaction.

She pretended not to notice the look of doubt that passed over his eyes before he looked back down at his report. She ignored the upturned smile on his lips and focused only on the scratching sound his quill made as he wrote. She chewed her bottom lip and twisted Remus' quill between her fingers, stroking her chin with its white feather.

While she wrote in silence, she considered Severus' words. It was true: she and Remus were living in completely different worlds. Didn't their Houses prove that enough? She was a Slytherin, he a Gryffindor. Even in school, they were intended to hate each other, to be rivals. Outside to safe walls of Hogwarts, it went far further than scowling across corridors or shouting childish jabs at one another. Out in the world, they were on opposing sides. Her side would slaughter his without a second thought, would raise their wand against him without a moment's hesitation. They wouldn't care who he was, or how much his mother loved him, or who he loved. They would strike him down as an enemy. That would be all.

But Maddi did not intend to be on the evil side for much longer. That had to count for something, didn't it? She was playing the part, and playing it well if she had earned the trust of Severus Snape. She just needed the proper moment and the strength and courage to rise against them all, even more so than Rory had. She did not plan on taking the Dark Mark on her flesh as Rory had done. Instead, she would openly rebel against all of them to fight for the other side; the right side; Remus' side. But the time had to be right.

As she looked over at Remus, she wished the opportunity would present itself soon. She did not want to wait any longer to abandon the evils that disgusted her so. She could not wait to turn her back on her wretched father and his sadistic master. Her father's hard face suddenly flashed before her eyes, his angry sneer plastered on his lips as he scowled at her. The thought of rising against her father terrified her beyond anything she could have imagined. But Maddi knew what she would have to do. If not for herself, she would do it for the others fighting for what was right.

She watched him closely, noticing the deep purple crescents hanging beneath his blue eyes. The rings contrasted grossly with the unusual paleness of his chalky skin. He rubbed his tired eyes, dragging his hand down his face to hold his strong stubble-ridden jaw. His brown hair hung slightly in his eyes while he wrote, fighting back a yawn. Maddi wrinkled her brow thoughtfully.

"Are you alright, Remus?" she asked cautiously.

"Just tired," he replied curtly.

"You look a little ill. Are you sure you're okay?" she persisted.

"Fine," he muttered.

"It's getting close to curfew. Perhaps we should call it a night," Maddi suggested quietly.

"Yes," he began packing his books into his backpack.

"Will I see you tomorrow night? It's Christmas Eve," she asked with a smile.

"No," he mumbled, swinging the bag over his shoulder.

"Oh," she breathed sadly.

"I won't be around tomorrow night," he continued, sensing her disappointment.

"Where will you be?" Maddi tried to keep her voice casual.

"My mother is sick. I have to go home to see her," he kept his gaze straight ahead of them as they walked side by side through the cold corridor.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Maddi said sincerely. "Why haven't you mentioned it?"

Remus shrugged his shoulders and Maddi kept her mouth shut. Much too quickly, the two arrived at the entrance hall where they would part ways. Maddi stopped and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, bringing him to a halt beside her. He stared down at her curiously while her pale eyes skipped over his gaunt face. She caught his eyes widen in surprise as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing their fronts together. His hands found her waist and Maddi pressed her lips to his sallow cheek, his uncharacteristic facial hair prickling the soft skin of her mouth.

"Merry Christmas, Remus," she dropped from her tip-toes and smiled up at him before pulling herself from his hold.


	5. Chapter 5

****Thanks for reading! I would love to know if youre all enjoying it so far, but seeing as how nobody reviews I assume not. I'm struggling with the decision to continue posting or just take it down. it doesnt seem to be very popular. It has a long way to go, so stick with me. Thanks, Review!****

**That's So You**

five

Maddi was leaning against the headboard of her four-poster bed. The silence of her empty dormitory was unusual and somewhat eerie without her three roommates there. The white light of the full moon was so bright that it illuminated the entire room, and Maddi didn't need to light a single candle to read the pages in front of her. It was Christmas Eve with Christmas morning only a few hours away, and Maddi was spending it locked away in her bedroom reading one of her several books on magical creatures and beasts. Her parents had not sent her an owl to wish her a happy holiday, nor had her sister or brother.

At the stroke of midnight, a large pile of presents appeared at the foot of her bed. Maddi shut her thick book with a sigh and crawled to the edge of her mattress. She sifted through the stack, pushing aside the gifts from her father and his friends, likely trying to buy her affections for their suitor sons. She picked up a large package with pretty lavender paper covered with silver butterflies.

She smiled and tore the paper open, removing a dark pair of denim jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. Maddi laughed to herself; Rory knew his little sister preferred muggle attire to the proper pureblood lady apparel her father had approved of. She folded the articles neatly and sat them beside her. Adrianna's gift was a simple golden chain with a bright orange bird hanging off the end of it that glittered when the light hit it properly. Maddi didn't know why her sister thought a bird suited her, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless. She, then, lifted the lid off a large green box and pulled out its contents. She ran her fingers over the crumpled brown paper, tied together with a yellowed shoestring. A sad smile tugged at her lips as she released the knot and the tattered wrappings fell across her legs. Maddi stroked the soft fabric of a hand sewn crimson sweater.

She stared at the piece in awe; it was, by far, the most beautiful article her mother had made since she'd lost her mind. The deep red material would complement her complexion beautifully, as would the sparkling gold stitches lining the neckline in an intricate swirl design. She rose to her feet and carried the garment towards her tall dresser and tugged the bottom drawer open. She folded the sweater and laid it among all the other sweaters, scarves, and hats her mother had made for her over the years. Maddi frowned at the drawer full of clothes she'd never worn and wondered how her mother managed to sneak them beneath her father's nose year after year.

A tapping on the window broke her trance and Maddi's eyebrows knitted together. She briefly wondered who would be sending her an owl at the late hour. Her confusion peaked when she realized it wasn't an owl pecking at her glass, but a raven black as night. The bird squawked loudly and Maddi pulled the window open, allowing the small bird to hop inside. She untied the tiny roll of parchment from its foot and watched it glide back out into the night. She shut the glass and leaned her hip against the stone windowsill as she unraveled the note.

_Maddison,_

_I truly hope you are still interested._

_Happy Christmas,_

_Remus_

_P.S. I'm very sorry I was unable to see you tonight. Trust that you are in my thoughts._

Maddi smiled at the note, running her finger over the neat writing. His initial message confused her, at first, but when she lifted her eyes, her questions were answered. Waiting on her bed, with no wrappings aside from a shiny golden bow, was an old-looking book. Maddi neared her bed and ran her fingertips over the hard cover, a smile tugging at her lips. The very book that had sparked their first conversation was in her hands, yearning to be read. She struggled to prevent her sadness from tainting her smile at the gift; she had missed Remus that night and found him plaguing her thoughts hour after hour.

Maddi placed the book on her night table and lifted the duvet so she could slip beneath it. She repeated Remus' words in her head, imagining his voice saying them to her. That night, she fell asleep with a smile etched on her lips while the light of the moon glowed over her peaceful body.

When Maddi awoke the following morning, she hastily reached towards her nightstand. Her fingertips fell on the worn binding of the old book and she smiled to herself; it had not been a dream after all. She slowly got out of bed and made her way to the showers. Afterwards, she dried her hair into a long sheet of gold and applied her makeup artfully. After dressing in the jeans and sweatshirt Rory had sent to her and fastening the necklace from her sister, Maddi made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast, her book tucked beneath her wing.

She sat down at the Slytherin table and served herself a plate of fruit. As she peeled a juicy orange, she opened the autobiography and began reading to herself. She was so absorbed in the writing that she had not noticed Severus sit down in the seat across from her, nor did she feel his beady eyes focusing in on her. She did, however, hear him suck his teeth at her. Only then, did she peel her eyes from the yellowed pages.

"Yes?" she asked, raising a yellow eyebrow.

"What would your father have to say about you reading such a vile tale?" Severus droned.

"I can read whatever I please, Severus," Maddi rolled her light eyes.

"I seem to recall a certain Gryffindor having the very same book in his possession. How curious," Severus speared a sausage link with his silver fork.

"Curious," Maddi replied, going back to reading.

"I've told you I will keep your little secret," Severus disturbed her again. "However, I do wonder how you plan to hide this love affair once Avery and the others return from holiday."

"There's nothing to hide," Maddi took a bite of the citrus fruit.

"Do you take me for a fool, Maddison?" Severus rolled his eyes. "I am offering you advice; protection. You're walking on thin ice, and this relationship may be the weight that causes you to fall through. I know what you're up to, Maddison. All of it."

"What are you going on about?" Maddi asked, skillfully hiding the fear she was feeling.

"That's a lovely necklace you're wearing. A phoenix, am I correct?" Severus eyed the golden pendant and stood up slowly. "You're lucky the others are as ignorant as you wish them to be. However, you have underestimated me; a mistake that could prove fatal. I suggest you do as I say: stay away from the boy or you both will perish."

With that, he walked away, his black cloak billowing behind him. Maddi had to focus all of her attention on her breathing as to not hyperventilate. She set down the half-eaten orange and dried her sticky hand with a cloth napkin. She was glad that the Great Hall was practically empty and nobody had witnessed the exchange. Maddi fingered the medallion hanging from her neck and looked down at it closely. How could she not have noticed before? She tucked the necklace beneath her collar and closed her book with a thud.

She spent the following week locked in her dormitory, only leaving for showers and the rare meal here and there. She had just finished reading _Hairy Snout, Human Heart_ when she decided to go to the library. It was nearly eleven thirty on New Year's Eve and the Slytherin common room was full of younger students who had remained at school. They had decided to throw some sort of party to ring in the New Year, but seeing as they were all about twelve, it seemed rather pathetic. Maddi ignored Severus' disapproving glance and shake of his head as she stepped out of the common room and into the chilled corridor.

When she arrived at the library, she was surprised to find Remus sitting at a table beneath a large window. In truth, she had gone to the library in the hopes of finding him, but her success amazed her nonetheless. He hadn't seen her yet, and Maddi found herself wondering what she was going to say to him. Should she listen to Severus' advice and stop this before it went any further? Or would she be selfish enough to risk both of their lives? She didn't have much time to debate with herself, for his sapphire blue eyes found her.

"Maddi," he smiled and rose from his seat.

Somehow, she managed to smile back at him as her feet carried her closer. As she stood before him, her smile became much more real and sincere. He looked so much healthier than he had when they last saw each other. The rings beneath his eyes had almost completely vanished. His skin no longer seemed to hang off his bones and it had returned to its normal milky color. The only thing that worried her was the three thin crimson stripes peeking out of his collar ad up his throat.

"What happened?" her fingers reached towards his neck.

"Oh, nothing," Remus moved out of her range and forced a smile. "My parents have a pet, is all."

"Those don't look like normal scratches, Remus," she insisted, stretching her fingers to move his collar.

He caught her fingers in his and held them gently. The warmth of his skin burned her cold fingers and somehow worked its way through her body to melt the ice walls around her heart. He smiled wider when she didn't pull away from his touch and pressed his lips to her knuckles.

"I'm fine, I promise," Remus kissed her fingers one more time before releasing his grip. "So, tell me, how was your Christmas?"

"It was pretty boring," Maddi replied, hopping up onto the stone windowsill. "I missed you, you know."

She nudged his leg with the toe of her black suede pump and smiled as a pink blush tinted his cheeks. Remus rubbed the back of his neck, ruffing up his brown hair as he leaned against the wall beside her. He avoided her eyes until the heat finally left his face.

"I missed you, too," he replied, watching as it was her turn to blush.

What was she doing? Maddi knew what had to be done, so why was she sitting there flirting with him? Why was she leading him on? Why was she stringing him along just to sever ties completely? She knew the answer to all of her questions: she didn't want it to end, whatever it was. But how could she justify putting Remus, sweet and gentle Remus, in danger?

"Did your mum make that for you?" his voice disrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, yes. She sent it for Christmas," Maddi smiled, looking down at the soft fabric.

"The color looks lovely on you. See, you should have been in Gryffindor," Remus joked and Maddi laughed lightly.

"I know," she agreed quietly.

"You know? You mean you don't want to be in Slytherin?" he asked curiously.

"Who wants to be in a House full of judgmental, spoiled little brats with superiority complexes?" Maddi shook her head. "I don't know what it was about me that made the Sorting Hat deem it a good fit. I never wanted to be a Slytherin."

"Just because you're _in_ Slytherin doesn't mean you _are_ one," Remus reasoned.

"Slytherin is a House for evil, cunning people who don't give a damn who they step on to reach their goals. I never thought that was me, but perhaps the Hat knows me better than I know myself," Maddi sighed.

"Don't say that. You're not a bad person, Maddi, and you sure as hell aren't evil," Remus stated firmly.

"How do you know?" Maddi eyed him.

"I just know," he said softly.

Abruptly, a loud chiming noise erupted from his pocket. Maddi looked around the library as the lanterns suddenly dimmed, covering the room in near darkness. Remus hastily removed a scratched up pocket watch and silenced its ringing before tucking it back into his trousers. He glanced back at her where she remained propped up on the stone ledge.

"Midnight," he explained.

"Happy New Year," Maddi breathed.

"Happy New Year," Remus whispered.

Maddi's fingers held his clean-shaven face as his shaky hands rested on her waist. Slowly, she began pulling him towards her, closing her eyes until their lips brushed together. His soft lips interlocked with hers, moving slowly and uncertainly. The unhurried, tender kiss was new to Maddi and she found herself losing herself in Remus. His fingers slid down her waist to hold her curvy hips and a shiver tingled up Maddi's spine. Growing more confident, Remus pressed his lips harder against Maddi's, deepening their passionate kiss, yet keeping it gentle and deliberate. She began seductively sucking on his bottom lips, encouraging him in what he was doing, and moved her hands to his hair. She affectionately combed through his thick locks as they continued to snog until she was running dangerously low on air. She gently pulled back, sharing an extra kiss or two, and gazed up into his eyes.

She had not planned on snogging him at all. In fact, snogging was quite the opposite of what she had planned on doing. Remus pressed their foreheads together as he stared down at her, searching her eyes for anything she wasn't saying. But they did not betray her emotions at all. Deciding he did not wish to know, he moved his face to kiss her again, cherishing the warmth radiating from her lips to his. She responded, kissing him back wholeheartedly until he pulled away. She parted her lips to speak, and Remus held his breath.

"What would you say if I told you I had to leave you?" she whispered.

"I would beg you to stay," Remus replied immediately.

"What if that meant endangering your life?" she asked nervously.

"What if that mean endangering yours?" he countered.

Before she could ask what he meant, the lanterns in the library burned brightly and Remus moved away from her quickly. Maddi tried her best to act casual and began swinging her legs as they dangled above the floor. Remus ran a hand hastily through his hair and flicked his tongue across his lips as they waited to be caught.

"Moony!" Maddi recognized Potter's voice before she saw him come around the corner. "I knew we'd find you here."

"What are you doing with _her_?" Black eyed them suspiciously, and Maddi rolled her eyes.

"Studying," Remus replied simply. "Why are you three back already?"

"Apparently catching you doing something rather naughty," Potter winked and nudged Remus in the ribs. "How unlike you, Moony."

"We came back early to spend New Year's with you," Black said. "We didn't realize you already had Lady Turner for company."

"Don't call me that," Maddi growled.

"That's right, it'll be Lady Avery soon enough, won't it? My mistake," Black scowled at her.

"Padfoot," Potter said in a warning tone.

"We've been studying together over break. Maddi and I-" Remus began to explain.

"Oh, it's 'Maddi,' now is it?" Black laughed without humor.

"Sirius," Potter said more sternly. "Let Remus talk."

"Thank you, James. As I was saying, Maddi-"

"Was just leaving," she interrupted as she hopped down from the windowsill.

"Maddi, you don't have to go," Remus frowned.

"It's alright. It's about time I slither into my serpent hole," she rolled her grey eyes.

She hear Black scoff, but Remus nodded solemnly and stared at his tattered old shoes. Maddi ran her fingers through her straight hair and silently wished she could kiss him goodbye. They had been interrupted so suddenly, Maddi realized that they had left a lot of questions unanswered.

"I'll see you," she said with a meaningful stare.

Remus lifted his eyes to lock on hers and smiled slowly. He nodded a little more enthusiastically and didn't stop her when she tried to leave. As she passed his friends, she decided she'd better try to be as civil as possible if she were going to make things work with Remus.

"Goodnight, boys," she said to Potter and Pettigrew and then turned to Black. "Goodnight, pig."

"Wench," he spat back at her as she left the library.

* * *

"What, no welcome back party?" Bellatrix pouted as she strolled through the common room. "Didn't you miss me at all?"

"Not in the slightest," Maddi joked and dodged the book Bellatrix threw at her.

"Well I know _someone_ missed you very much," Bellatrix smirked wildly.

"Maddi!" Regulus cried, dropping the two large suitcases he was carrying.

He nearly tripped over them as he rushed towards the blonde. Maddi had risen to her feet, waiting for him to reach her. When he did, he captured her in a bone crushing hug and lifted her feet off the ground. Maddi smiled into his shoulder and waited for him to release her from his arms, but he didn't. He set her back on her feet, but continued to hold her tight to his chest. She patted him on the back and allowed him to push his fingers through her long hair. She pretended not to notice how deeply he inhaled her sweet, clean scent.

"Enough, cousin, you're embarrassing yourself," Bellatrix propped her black stilettos on top of the table and knotted her fingers behind her wild hair.

Regulus detached himself from Maddi, then, and beamed down at her. She let him pull her to sit beside him and listened as he told her all about his Christmas at home. He prattled on about useless things, such as the gifts his parents had given him or the food they had eaten. He only stopped speaking when Loxus dropped into a crouch in front of Maddi and kissed her hard on the mouth. Maddi fought against her gag reflex as his tongue invaded her mouth. Finally, he pulled away, a string of spit reaching from her lips to his, and sat down in the biggest armchair in the common room. Subtly, Maddi wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She caught Regulus throw a stony glare at Loxus before turning his stare towards the fire.

"Were you a good girl while I was gone, Mads?" Avery asked with a wide smirk.

"Yes," she replied dutifully.

She ignored Severus' piercing stare from across the room and focused her eyes on Loxus. He was watching her closely, and Maddi could feel him probing her mind. Little did he know, she had practiced Occlumency well over the summer. However, to ease his suspicions, she allowed him to see her upstairs in her bedroom reading as she had done the week Remus was away. He seemed satisfied with the information and stopped trying to force his way further into her mind.

"Good," he replied.

"I'm going to go study," Maddi announced. "I'll see you lot later."

"Oh don't go! We just got back," Regulus whined.

"Yeah, you studied all break," Loxus said, though he didn't seem like he truly wanted her to stay.

"I need to work on Transfigurations," Maddi left the common room.

* * *

Their meetings had started off innocent. She swore they did. How she managed to find herself with her back pressing into the hard wooden bookshelves, Maddi didn't know. She only knew she didn't ever want it to stop. Over the three weeks following their first kiss, Remus had grown confident in his actions when it came to Maddi. Just then, he had his front pushing into hers as his lips moved rhythmically with hers. One hand held her by the hip while the other tangled in her hair. Maddi blamed his franticness on the fact that they hadn't seen each other in two weeks. Remus knew it was due to something else Maddi knew nothing of.

He moved on instinct, and Maddi loved the way he took control. It was nothing like when Loxus dominated her. It was rough, but tender; hard, but passionate. It was so Remus. His lips strayed from her mouth, wandering along the side of her face, and exploring down her neck. He bit down on a spot just beneath her earlobe and Maddi gasped in pleasure. She was tugging on his Gryffindor tie while his fingers slithered beneath the hem of her school skirt. He abruptly ripped his hand away and flung himself away from her as though she had burned him.

Maddi panted and watched Remus through wide, confused eyes. He was breathing heavily, too, his back leaning against the bookshelf opposite her. His blue eyes were dark and hooded as he stared at her and he ran his hand over his face. Maddi stood frozen, waiting for him to say something. When he didn't she frowned and readjusted her appearance by combing her fingers through her knotted hair.

It wasn't the first time Remus had suddenly stopped their snogging without an explanation. It took a lot for Maddi not to blame herself for whatever hurdle he couldn't clear when it came to her. It got a lot harder when it kept on happening and he continuously leapt away from her as if she'd pulled a dagger on him. Whenever things progressed and became steamy, Remus would shut down and back away from her, reluctant to even touch her. Afterwards, if he did kiss her again after one of those episodes, it was as though he thought he would break her if he touched her too much. He was delicate with her like a fine piece of china that would shatter if mishandled.

"Maddi," he began.

"Don't, Remus," she waved him off. "It's fine."

"You're upset," he stated the obvious and Maddi rolled her eyes.

"I said it's fine," she huffed.

"You know it isn't anything you do wrong, don't you? It's me," he said quietly.

"Sure, Remus," Maddi sighed. "I better go."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching for her fingers. "I know this can't be easy for you to understand."

"You're not going to make it any easier, so why are you apologizing?" she snapped.

"If I could explain it to you, I would. If I could tell you everything without fearing the worst…"

"What aren't you telling me, Remus?" Maddi asked.

"I don't want to lose you," he groaned.

"Tell me," Maddi demanded.


	6. Chapter 6

****Thanks to the few people who reviewed last chapter, I present to you...Chapter Six! Still not sure if I want to continue posting with so little reviews and whatnot. But for now...Here it is. Enjoy!****

**That's So You**

six

Maddi walked through the corridors like a zombie the following week. She sat through breakfast, went to class, sat through dinner and went to sleep. She hadn't uttered a word to anyone and nobody really questioned why. That's how it was in Slytherin: if you were silent and brooding, you were doing exactly what you were supposed to be doing and everyone left you to it. Regulus, at first, had tried to get Maddi to chime into their conversations. But a week later, he barely so much as spared her a glance when she walked through the common room to her dormitory. He was worried about her, but he knew better than to draw attention to it; that's the last thing she would want.

Severus seemed to be the only person who knew even slightly why Maddi was being so distant. He knew it had to do with Lupin. He knew she hadn't seen him in a while. Maddi had done as he advised, but he knew there was more to it than that. Up until a week ago, Severus knew that Maddi had no intention of listening to him and severing ties with Lupin. He knew she had still been sneaking off the meet with him. He knew she wasn't going to the library to study at all. But then why the sudden breakup, he wondered. Unless, of course, she found out…

_Werewolf. _Her mind kept repeating the disgusting word; the word that caused nothing to make sense anymore. His confession was haunting her day and night, and Maddi could do nothing to make it go away. She was sitting alone at the end of the Slytherin table one night at dinner. Bellatrix and Loxus had lost their patience with her long ago and, thus, sat further down the table away from her. They were giving her the cold shoulder, but that was nothing compared to the ice chilling her insides. _Werewolf…_ She pushed some food around her plate, pretending to eat, and stared blankly at the vacant seat across from her.

"I need to speak with you," she heard from behind her.

She didn't start at the sudden presence. She only rose to her feet and followed him out of the Great Hall in a trance-like state. He kept a firm grip on her bicep as they walked even though Maddi made no threat of running the other way. But when he pulled her into an empty classroom, she realized why he had been holding on to her.

"You've stopped seeing Lupin," Severus noted.

Maddi struggled in his grip, attempting to move towards the door. She didn't wish to hear his name. She didn't wish to remember why she had stopped seeing him. She didn't wish to replay that conversation.

"I did as you said. Now let me go," Maddi growled.

"Yes, you did," Severus ignored her command. "But I'm curious as to why. Why have you decided, on your own, to end things? Clearly, it wasn't my words that did it."

"What does it matter?" Maddi groaned.

"Humor me," Severus smirked slightly.

"I'd rather not," Maddi rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Maddison. What'd he do? What did he tell you?" Severus eyed her.

"He didn't do anything," Maddi defended. "Hang on. You knew! You knew all along and didn't tell me!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Severus lied plainly.

"You knew what he was! That's why you didn't want me with him!" Maddi cried.

Although part of her was touched that Severus did, in fact, care for her safety, another part (a much larger one at that) was livid with him for not telling her sooner. If Severus had told her what he knew, what Remus was, she never would have gotten so close to him. She never would have let herself fall for him if she had known.

Her anger melted away suddenly, contorting into self-hatred and loathing. How could she be so terrible? She had always hated the way his kind were treated by society, yet here she was discriminating against him herself. She had fallen for Remus, fallen hard. He was smart, and handsome, and sweet, and gentle, and caring…and a monster. But he wasn't a monster, not really. After all, he had been suffering from the affliction the entire time Maddi had known him. He was still the same person she had been falling for, only now she knew why he'd disappear for a week each month.

She pushed passed Severus and ran through the doorway. He high heels slammed against the stone floor as she bolted up several flights of steps before they could change on her. She burst into the library and was immediately hushed by the wrinkly old librarian. Maddi slowed down and began searching the library for him, frantically walking up and down aisles of shelves. She poked her head around corners and surveyed the countless tables and chairs scattered throughout the enormous library.

"He's not here."

Maddi spun around. The soft voice came from a table in the furthest corner from the entranced. Maddi recognized the red hair and sparkling emerald eyes. The girl looked up from her book and smiled up at Maddi. She laid her quill down and cocked her head to the side, her shiny hair cascading over her shoulder in soft waves.

"Remus," the girl continued. "He isn't here."

"How did you know I was…?"

"I've seen you two studying together. Remus and I are friends," she explained. "He speaks very highly of you. Or at least he _did_ back when he was speaking at all."

"Oh," Maddi frowned, wincing at the slight jab. "Do you know where he is?"

"His mother is ill," the redhead winked subtly; Maddi understood.

"Ah," Maddi sighed.

"You're welcome to have a seat," she continued, moving her books over. "I'm Lily."

"Maddi," she lowered herself into the seat across from Lily.

"If you don't mind my asking, what's got you looking for Remus all of a sudden? I hear you haven't spoken in over a week?" Lily asked casually, continuing to write neat notes in her books.

"I wanted to talk to him," Maddi answered unintentionally coldly. "I need to apologize."

"Yes, he did mention that you did not take the news very well," Lily commented.

"No, I suppose I didn't. I was foolish," Maddi sighed, laying her head down on the table.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. It's not the easiest thing to understand," Lily comforted.

"When did you found out?" Maddi asked.

"Fifth year," she replied.

"And how did you react?" Maddi asked, nervous of the answer.

"I didn't mind, really. He was always just…Remus," Lily smiled.

"Thanks, that makes me feel loads better," Maddi muttered, and Lily chuckled.

"Everyone responds differently. From what James has told me, Sirius had a hard time swallowing that pill, as well," Lily reassured her. "I'm sure Remus didn't expect you to take it well. That's why he hadn't told you sooner; he expected you to react badly. What did you say to him, anyway?"

"Oh," Maddi said.

"Oh?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Maddi groaned.

"He tells you he's a werewolf, and all you said was 'Oh'?" Lily laughed openly.

"Shut up," Maddi struggled to keep her voice laced with Slytherin ice, and she couldn't quite keep the bashful smile from forming on her lips. "It caught me off guard!"

"Clearly," Lily continued laughing. "Then what happened?"

"I walked away," Maddi whispered shamefully, and Lily sobered up. "I just left him standing there by himself. Merlin, I'm a horrible person."

"You were surprised, that's all," Lily stroked Maddi's hair in a motherly way. "You can't blame yourself for responding that way."

"He trusted me, Lily. He trusted me enough to tell me his deepest, darkest secret. And all I did was walk away from him," Maddi buried her face in the crook of her arm.

"We all make mistakes, Maddi," Lily said softly.

Looking back on it, Maddi wasn't sure why she had confided in Lily. She didn't know what it was about her that made Lily so easy to trust and open up to. Maybe it was her gentle eyes or the soft voice she used when she spoke. Maybe it was her motherly, caring nature. More likely than not, it was the fact that she accepted everyone for who they were.

* * *

January quickly turned to February, February to March. The Easter holidays were approaching and Maddi had still not been able to speak with Remus. He seemed to be avoiding the library at all costs, skipping meals, and even lessons they had shared. She had to admit, she was growing tired of his evasiveness, but she supposed she deserved it. It was a sunny Saturday when she finally had a chance to corner him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I don't even know what to say to him at this point," Maddi whispered to Lily.

"You say you were an idiot and that you're sorry," Lil repeated for the hundredth time.

"But what if he doesn't accept my apology?" Maddi fretted.

"He will," Lily stated confidently.

She was joining Lily for an afternoon by the lake. The snow had thoroughly melted and the storm clouds had been replaced by brilliant golden sunshine. It was as if the weather was reflecting the dramatic change in Maddi's personal life: she had swapped out her dismal, depressing group of Slytherin friends for a bubbly, bright Gryffindor. They had no idea that they had been replaced, but Maddi knew. She told Lily that nobody could know of their friendship, that they could only spend time together in secret. It reminded her of how she used to sneak off to meet with Remus, only there was no snogging and bruises from bookcases with Lily.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend and Maddi's friends were all heading into the village bright and early that morning. She declined their invitations, ignored their sulking regarding her absence and claimed that she was waiting for a letter from home. It wasn't a complete lie, considering she hadn't heard from Rory since Christmas; she was waiting for him to respond to her last letter. But the real truth was that Maddi would be spending the afternoon with Lily in the hopes of seeing Remus and maybe even speaking to him.

Maddi and Lily reached the lake and sat down beneath a large willow tree. Maddi tucked her bare legs to her chest and locked her arms around them. Beside her, Lily pulled a book out of her bag and began reading. Before long, Pot-James (Maddi had to correct herself; she was on a first-name basis with them all, now…Being friends with Lily meant befriending the marauders, as well) bounded over and skidded to a halt in the sand before dropping to his knees. He pulled Lily into a hard kiss before getting up and running back to his friends. Lily rolled her eyes and shook her head, but Maddi saw the smile tugging at her lips and the blush inching up her neck. Maddi turned away smiling still and watched James and his friends toss a quaffle back and forth. Peter gave up first and scurried over to sit with Lily and Maddi beneath the willow.

"Not having fun, Pete?" Lily asked, not even looking up from her book.

"I'm no good in the sky, why should the ground be any different?" the large boy wheezed.

Lily and Maddi both chuckled and went back to what they were doing before Peter joined them. James and Sirius were showing off, as usual, throwing the quaffle long distances while the other ran to catch it. Both of them were shirtless, handsomely so, and their shorts hung low on their hips. Remus, on the other hand, was wearing a maroon hooded sweatshirt and baggy shorts. He had drawn the hood up slightly and dug his hands deep into his pockets while he watched his friends gallivant across the beach. He acted as though he was having fun, but Maddi could see otherwise. She also knew the only reason he hadn't followed after Peter was because Maddi was sitting right there.

"He'll forgive you, you know," Lily stated.

Maddi tore her eyes away from Remus and picked at the polish on her long nails.

"If you just go talk to him, he'll forgive you," Lily encouraged.

The blonde sighed and let the soft breeze blow through her curls. She closed her eyes for a moment and let the sun kiss her face. She sighed deeply and licked her sun-chapped lips.

"What do you think, Peter?" she asked softly.

"Wh-what? What do I-I think?" he stammered.

"Yes. You _are_ one of his best friends. I'd like to know what you think," Maddi smiled at the mousy boy.

"I dunno…I-I think he'd forgive you. I think h-he wants you to…to go to him," Peter stuttered terribly.

"Then I guess I'll have to trust you on this one, Pete," Maddi said as she got to her feet.

She brushed the sand from the back of her denim shorts and took a deep breath. She left her flip-flops behind and walked towards him, watching as he threw the quaffle back to James who ran through the sand with it, avoiding being tackled by Sirius. He was smiling at his friends, but it quickly faded when he realized she was approaching him and his gaze fell to his toes in the white grains.

"Can we talk for a moment?" she asked shyly.

She noticed him glance passed her at his friends before meeting her eyes for a second. He nodded slowly and jerked his head towards the stretch of sand. They walked at a snail's pace in the opposite direction of where James and Sirius were playing like children. Maddi wasn't sure where to start, so she chewed the inside of her cheek and tugged at the hem of her turquoise t-shirt.

"I'm-" they both said.

Maddi smiled and Remus chuckled awkwardly. He held his hand out, signaling for her to go ahead first. She took another deep breath and glanced at him as they walked side by side.

"I'm really sorry for the way I acted," she focused on keeping her words from meshing together. "I was a fool, Remus. I would understand if you can't forgive me. I just want you to know that I accept you the way you are, and I don't see you any differently."

"You don't have to do that," Remus mumbled.

"Do what?" Maddi asked.

"Lie to me. Pretend that my condition doesn't change everything. I know that it does," Remus frowned. "I've known it since you left me in the library."

"No, no it doesn't! That was the dumbest thing I have ever done in all my life. Walking away from you was the biggest mistake I ever made, Remus," Maddi insisted.

"You responded that way for a reason, Maddi. You're afraid. You're afraid of me, and what I am, and what I am capable of. I understand that. I don't blame you. I hate myself, too," Remus shook his head and tucked his hands further into his pockets.

"I'm not afraid of you," Maddi promised. "I was taken aback, yes, but I've decided I'm not afraid. You're still you. Your condition doesn't change who you are. And I happen to like who you are very much."

"You should hate me," he said, stopping and looking down at her.

"I don't," Maddi said firmly.

"Then, you are a fool," he replied, turning to walk back towards the others.

"Remus, please," Maddi caught his bony wrist. "I've tried this whole distance thing already. I tried to sever ties and I ended up with wounds to bind. I don't want to be away from you."

"You should stay away from me," his voice dropped very low despite how far away they were from the group.

"I can't," Maddi shook her head slowly.

"Being with me could kill you," Remus' fingers twitched at his side, yearning to stroke the side of her face.

"Being without you would be a fate worse than death."

Maddi barely had time to close her eyes before his lips found hers. The kiss was so sweet and gentle it reminded her of their first. The tingling across her body and the warmth bubbling in her gut all seemed so familiar, yet so new at the same time. She hoped that the feeling would never grow old, that she would never get used to the fire Remus Lupin ignited within her with his kisses. As their lips moved tenderly in unison, he laced their fingers together and gave them a firm squeeze before detaching his lips from her hot mouth.

"You won't run away from me again?" Remus asked nervously.

"Never," Maddi replied certainly, and she smiled when Remus kissed her forehead.

Later that evening, Maddi returned to the Slytherin common room and positioned herself in front of the fireplace with one of her textbooks. As soon as she opened the cover, the loud commotion of her friends returning disturbed her enough to close it up again. Regulus eyed her curiously and, when she flashed him a smile, he grinned and sat down beside her.

"How was Hogsmeade?" she asked, though she really didn't care.

"Boring without you," Regulus winked and Maddi rolled her eyes.

"You really are pathetic," Bellatrix smacked her cousin in the back of the head.

"We missed you," Regulus said, rubbing the spot Bellatrix had just thumped.

"Well Regulus and I did," Bellatrix smirked. "Avery, on the other hand…"

"What?" Maddi asked.

"He had a _very_ good time with some fifth year. Oh, look, there they are now!" Bellatrix smiled wickedly.

Loxus was entering the common room with his arm lazily slung over the shoulders of a pretty brunette. She was obviously younger than he was, judging by the awestruck look plastered on her narrow face at the attention a seventh year was giving to her. Her wide brown eyes stared up at him, hanging off every word he was saying. He saw Maddi looking their way, and did nothing but smile cheekily and lean down to kiss the girl hard on the mouth.

Maddi had to hide her laughter. After all, she was still playing her role. He truly thought he'd be making her jealous or upset. To be honest, she was thrilled it wasn't her mouth Loxus was bruising. True, they had never legitimately called off their relationship, but his day out with the fifth year girl made it pretty official. She turned away and rolled her eyes, ignoring Bellatrix's waiting stare, desperate for some kind of dramatic reaction that she simply would not receive. Realizing as much, the black-haired beauty flung herself into the nearest armchair and sulked.

"You don't care that your boyfriend is snogging somebody else?" Regulus asked skeptically.

"We've been separated for a while," Maddi shrugged. "I'm surprised he's waited this long, actually."

"I thought you'd have been upset or at least embarrassed," Bellatrix pouted. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Regulus asked eagerly.

"Unless you've been snogging someone else yourself!" Bellatrix accused, pointing a slender finger at Maddi.

"You're mad," Maddi rolled her silver eyes.

"You have been, haven't you?" Bellatrix cried with glee. "Who is he?"

"I haven't been snogging anyone," Maddi lied convincingly, making certain to keep the defensiveness from her voice.

"Then why don't you care that Loxus has moved on?" Bellatrix's smile was fading from her cherry red lips.

"Trust me, if you had been prisoner to Loxus for as long as I had, you'd be thrilled, too," Maddi said with another shrug.

Regulus laughed beside her and Bellatrix eyed her for a moment, calculating whether she was telling the truth or not. Apparently, Maddi had her convinced. Bellatrix smirked and relaxed back into the cushioned chair and began filing her sharp nails. It was a good thing Loxus was too busy sucking face with the younger girl to hear Maddi's mockery of him, or she'd have been paying for that in blood.

* * *

"Can't I come with you?" Maddi whined.

She had been pestering Remus for the past month about the same thing. She could tell his patience was wearing thing. She just wasn't sure if that would work in her favor, or if it would work against her. She sat across from him in the deserted library, pouting and showing him her best puppy-dog eyes she possibly could.

"Maddi, please, we've already talked about this," Remus sighed, rubbing his temples with his fingertips. "It's too dangerous."

"Why can James, Sirius and Peter go, but I can't?" Maddi cried.

"They've worked really hard to be able to help me," Remus groaned.

"How?" Maddi asked.

"They're animagi," Remus whispered. "James is a stag, Sirius is a dog, and Peter is a rat. They're safe in their animal forms."

"I can become one, too! But not in a night, so until then-"

"No, Maddi," Remus said sternly.

"I'll be fine! The others will be there to protect me," Maddi pouted some more.

"Don't you understand?" Remus growled through his teeth, struggling to keep his voice down. "You shouldn't _need_ to be protected from your boyfriend! This is what I was trying to tell you! You shouldn't be with a monster like me. You should have just stayed with Avery."

"Shut up. Shut up right now," Maddi hissed harshly. "Avery was a far worse monster than you could ever be. I chose you and I stand by that decision. I want to go with you."

"It's out of the question," Remus said pointedly.

"Why?" she dragged the word out obnoxiously.

"Dammit, Maddison, why don't you understand?" Remus slammed his fist down on the table, causing Maddi to jump. "I won't risk your safety. Besides, I don't want you to see me like that. It's dreadful."

She was beginning to understand. It wasn't just about keeping her safe, although that was obviously a huge part of it. Remus was embarrassed and ashamed of his transformations. She wished he wouldn't be ashamed, not when it came to her. But she had to accept it and respect his wishes.

"Alright," she whispered, standing up.

"Don't leave," Remus rushed to reach for her hand.

"I'm not going anywhere," Maddi frowned down at him.

She walked behind his seat after scanning the library for any other students. With both her hands, she began massaging the tense muscles of his shoulders. She felt him relax and take a few cleansing breaths as his head bowed down towards the table. She kneaded his shoulders and slowly moved her hands further down his back. He was groaning softly when Maddi would release a knot and followed the grunt with a sigh of relief. Maddi leaned forward and pressed her lips to his neck, still massaging the sore muscles along his back.

"Promise you'll see me as soon as you come back?" Maddi whispered in his ear, kissing his throat once more.

"Not a second later," Remus promised, and he turned his head to connect their lips.


End file.
